Caden Crusade draft
by Deltoran Merchant
Summary: Spin-off. While Chrono and Rosette fought Aion, another legend trudged through the blood of demons. So young, yet so powerful, Caden Metern is a demon hunter with power far beyond his mortal form. Who is he really and what secrets does he hold? Review plz
1. Chapter 1

**Caden Crusade**

"How did you know!" the incubus hissed as Caden held Sanctdia thrust through the demon's shoulder. Its human-like body well cut and toned to make it appear attractive, but in its anger and fury it's terrible black claws and demonic hooves showed through its disguise. Like all demons it bore horns, though small so as to allow disguise magic to be more effective.

"No demon can escape me," Caden said simply, his youthful voice filled with a harsh seriousness that didn't match his age at all. "Destroy him Sanctdia," Caden muttered. Brilliant white flames lit the silver blade in his hand and flowed into the demon who screamed in pain as his body was engulfed in flame. Soon all that was left of the demon was a pile of ash and stain of black blood upon Sanctdia's blade.

Caden was a strange-looking boy. He wore the shorts, jacket and loose shirt common of boys his age, the former items dark blue in colour, but he wore the jacket open and both his arms were covered in armour to some extent. His left arm was covered entirely in silver armour with gold trim and a slightly clawed gauntlet, as well as a wing-shaped decoration on his pauldron. His right arm bore a leather glove instead and his knee-high boots had armour too, a silver plate covering his left shin and toes, and only the latter present on his right boot.

Most notable though were the grey-white cloak on his back, quite out of date by 1929, and a white cross mark on his forehead, though usually hidden by his dirty blond hair. His blue eyes had a strange piercing factor to them and some said they actually turned gold at times. Caden observed the small town nearby. He'd chased the incubus out of a pub and out into the surrounding forest. "I'll never make it to port if these creatures keep showing up," he muttered to himself as he made his way back to town. Sanctdia vanished in a burst of light, but it had gone nowhere, simply retreated into his being.

He returned to the inn and prepared to enter his room when he was stopped by a voice. "Hello there," someone said. Caden looked to his left to see a girl in a blue habit, clearly a nun. She was about the same height as him, about five feet and five inches, and was slim from heavy exercise like all the nuns of her order. Auburn hair peaked out from under her habit and her eyes were green.

"What do you want?" Caden asked, recognizing her apparel. If it had been anyone else he would've ignored them.

"That mark on your head, are you a member of the Conclave of Light?" she asked, lowering her voice.

"No. I am a demon hunter. I repeat to you Nun of Magdalene, what do you want?"

"You don't have to be so rude; I just wanted to know if you wanted to join me in going to America. I overheard you talking on the phone earlier about the earliest ship leaving for the USA and figured I'd help you out."

"Can you drive?"

"Yes, I've been drivin-"

"Good," Caden interrupted, cutting her off. "The earliest ship pulls off at 7:30 AM, we'll have to be awake by five in order to make it to Liverpool in time."

"Got it," the nun said. "My name's Cora," she added, holding out her hand.

"Caden," Caden replied, ignoring her hand and going into his room. "Demon after demon falls to my blade, and yet I'm still no nearer to the answers I seek," he muttered to himself as he changed into a borrowed nightshirt. He climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep.

((()))

Caden stood outside his room, leaning against the wall as he waited for Cora to appear. Checking his wristwatch it was approaching five-fifteen. Growling in frustration he dug his clawed gauntlet into the wood and tore out the doorknob and lock, and proceeded to barge into the room. He saw Cora in bed, beginning to stir at the noise. "Wake up," Caden said loudly as he approached her bed. The girl opened her eyes and when she saw him standing in her room she yelped and pulled the covers tight over herself.

"Caden! What are you- how did you get in here?" she asked.

"Get up now," Caden commanded, ignoring her question. "I want you ready to go in three minutes. Understood?"

"But I-"

"Understood!"

"Yes!" At this Caden turned and strode from the room, closing the damaged door behind him and replacing the lock as best he could. Moments later Cora came out, watching the door handle fall right off.

"Did you do that?" she asked with surprise. Caden simply nodded and began walking downstairs, Cora catching him up and leading him to her car, apologizing to the innkeeper for the door.

"I understand there is a 'reformed' devil at the New York base of the Magdalene Order," Caden said as they drove.

"Last time I was there yeah, but I've been away for several months now so it's possible things have changed."

"That would be unfortunate." The next several hours of the drive were spent in silence, with Cora occasionally attempting to start a conversation, only for Caden to either ignore her or reply with a short answer.

"What do you want from Chrono?" Cora asked.

"A devil willing to speak out against its kin is one with answers."

"Answers to what?"

"Pay attention to the road," Caden replied, dropping back into silence. They were coming into Liverpool and the smell of the ocean reached Caden's nose. It was a smell he had smelled many times before in his endless travels. They came to the port where the ship was sitting. They bought tickets, the car was loaded on and they boarded. They had second-class tickets and Caden saw, to his dismay that Cora was in the room directly across from his.

"Want to walk around the deck?" the girl asked.

"No," Caden replied, moving to enter his room, only for Cora to grab his arm and drag him after her.

"Come on, it'll be fun!" she cried, dragging him along while he groaned in annoyance. When they got up on deck he pulled his arm from her hand.

"Why are you being so friendly to me?" he asked. "We don't know each other."

"Well why not? We both serve God right? And we're both human, and even if you were neither of those I don't see a reason why we shouldn't be friends. You needed help, I helped you, we know each other's names, so I think we're becoming friends," Cora explained. "Besides you still need my help when we get to New York."

Caden sighed. He should've expected a nun to be like this, particularly one of the Magdalene Order. Still, he didn't like having others around; they got in his way and they ended up in danger. He refused to endanger others with his quest. The burdens he bore were his and his alone. However Cora was also right that he needed her as a guide for the time being, so he would tolerate her presence.

"Don't talk much do you," Cora said to him as they leaned against the rail looking out across the city.

"No." The ship rumbled as the engines started up and it pulled off from the dock. The others on the deck waved to the people down on the dock as the ship moved further and further away. Caden had seen it many times before. The world was shrinking, anyone could see that; where once it had taken months to cross the Atlantic it now took only a few days. And yet despite that he'd never been able to find the answers to his questions.

He moved away from the railing and strode down the deck deep in thought. Cora followed after him. "So what do you want to do?" she asked.

"Train," Caden replied.

"You're going to train on a ship?"

"Yes."

"How old are you anyways?" Cora asked. "I'm sixteen."

"Thirteen." Caden came to a stop on an open part of the deck near the stern of the ship. He judged the location to be adequate for practice and so in a burst of light the silver blade Sanctdia appeared in his hand. He heard Cora make a sound of awe.

"That blade..." she said. "It just radiates strength and light. What is it?"

"Magical," Caden responded, taking up a stance and conjuring around himself images of light to serve as dummies. He held his sword ready and the dummies moved, rushing at him and attempting to strike him. With blinding speed that made Cora blink several times the dummies vanished as Caden brought his sword through each of them in turn.

"How did you-" she asked in shock.

Caden ignored her and conjured four more dummies, but when these ones began moving they moved in a more complex way. They now dodged his attacks and struck back with weapons of light of their own. Caden dodged, rolled, flipped and jumped with the agility of a gymnast and struck back, matching his dummies blow for blow. First one fell, than a few seconds later another, and the final two fell shortly after at almost the same time. He finished and held his sword at his side.

The relative silence was disturbed by the sound of clapping. Caden looked up to see Cora staring at him with awe, but not clapping. Then he looked to the side of the deck and saw a woman in a black dress with similarly coloured black hair. Despite her clothing it was obvious her curves were very full. "Very impressive," the woman said her voice soft and smooth.

"I-I'm sure there's a perfectly logical explanation for all this," Cora stuttered to the apparently normal person.

"Cora, get over here," Caden ordered. He turned his attention to the woman and held his sword ready. "I know you're a demon, there's no use trying to hide it from me."

"My, you are truly as impressive as is rumoured. Caden Metern, the famous demon hunter. He who destroyed an entire legion of Hell Guard, and yet is not even sixteen."

"Did you really?" Cora asked.

"Do you have anything to say? Or should I kill you already and be done with," Caden said coldly.

"My Queen sent me to see you, and to test you."

"Test me..." Caden muttered sourly. With the same incredible speed and agility he'd demonstrated before he hurtled forwards and thrust his sword through the demon, only for her to fade into smoke just before the blade struck. He swung back and the blade curled out into a long chain whip made of a number of rectangular blades chained together, like the sword was spread out.

This whip flashed silver and white as it soared through the air and a gasp, followed by a shriek of horror, told Caden it had hit its mark. He whirled around and pulled the whip taught, its end jutting through the succubus' stomach. "How-?" the demon asked in disbelief. "No human is this powerful."

Caden approached silently, holding the whip formed Sanctdia. When he came up close to the demon he wrenched the whip's tip from her and in a flash of light it returned to sword form, and with a blur of silver and gold he smote the demon's head from her shoulders. Black blood splattered the deck as the headless corpse of the demon collapsed into fire and vanished.

Cora had been getting her gun ready, but the speed with which Caden finished the succubus off left he even more astounded. "How did you do that?" she gasped after several minutes of silence.

"Initial attack was a distraction. I knew where she'd turn up," Caden explained flatly. "Succubi are not made for battle."

"I uh... hey wait!" Cora added as Caden walked off the deck and back towards their rooms.

((()))

"How did you manage that? You're incredible! You make even us militia look like rookies. Who are you?" Cora said hurriedly as she followed Caden. He found her constant talking annoying, but didn't see a point in telling her to shut up. Ignoring people always worked much better for him. "Why don't we get something to eat? We never had breakfast after all."

Once again Caden found himself being dragged somewhere he didn't want to go. He wasn't sure he'd ever met a girl this pushy before, or at least not one who was friendly. Caden still wasn't sure why she was so nice to him when she barely knew him. Her reasons sort of made sense, but none of the Conclave members were his friends and they served 'God' too. Maybe it really is just because she's a nun, Caden thought.

He'd actually already eaten, the Conclave made a special food called _panius _which was something like bread, but blessed with light. The food was filling and healthy, providing all the nutrients his body needed with only a few bites. Caden had learned how to make the stuff himself, and it made for easier travel.

However he didn't seem to be able to shake Cora as she dragged him to the second-class dining room and ordered them both a bowl of oatmeal. Caden ate as quickly as he could without throwing up and listened to Cora chatter on and on. "The girl knows how to talk," he thought to himself. He finished eating and moved to return to his room. Unfortunately for him Cora finished right after and grabbed his arm.

"Come on, you're going to have fun on this ship if I have to drag you to every single corner of it," Cora cried as she pulled him after her.

"This is going to be a long four days," Caden thought with exasperation.

The next five days had to have been Caden's most exhausting in his entire life. It was ridiculous; she dragged him across the ship; from the smoking lounge to the gambling tables. Whenever he tried to return to his room, she made sure to drag him somewhere else. There was a gym where he lifted the weights without breaking a sweat, and after only a couple punches the punching bag tore apart. Luckily for him nobody else was in the room at the time, so they were able to exit quickly without getting in trouble.

Then there was poker. Between the multiple players he ended up winning in a few minutes. However he didn't take any of the winnings, returning them to their owners. He found it quite boring. He never did understand what people liked so much about the possibility of losing everything in a game of cards. He'd lost everything already, and it was no fun. In fact Caden never really did understand fun.

As she led him around over the four days of the journey he continued to think on the appearance of the succubus. That one appeared so shortly after an incubus had to mean that Lilith must have taken an interest in him. She was the Queen of the Lilitu demons. Did Lilith have something to do with the answers he sought? These thoughts whirled around his head all throughout the trip.

Finally at about six-thirty in the afternoon as Caden was finally getting a chance to have some peace and quiet in his cabin there came an energetic knock at the door. "Caden! We're coming into New York! Come on!" Cora cried from the other side. Caden groaned in annoyance, but got up and opened the door.

"I can walk myself, there is no need to grab my arm," Caden said as Cora reached for his arm.

"Oh, okay." She had to move quickly to keep up with Caden's fast pace, and she noticed a frown seemed to be permanently plastered on his face. "I've been wondering, how is it you're so strong anyways? You're only thirteen and yet you're so much stronger than even our Father Remington."

"I train a lot," Caden muttered in response.

"Yeah but-"

"How I became this way is not your concern. Your concern is bringing me to the Order of Magdalene," Caden said suddenly, his tone turning harsh.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you," Cora replied sincerely and hurriedly, attempting to sedate him. They came up onto the deck and Caden looked out to see the approach of the docks and the city skyline towering above. "Have you been to New York before?" Cora asked.

"Yes," Caden replied flatly, his tone emotionless once more.

"You only talk a lot when you're angry I guess," Cora mused to herself. As usual Caden ignored her. There was something strange in the air. As they came into the docks Caden could sense the strange feeling in the air. Something powerful and evil had recently been active, but it was gone now. He sniffed the air and closed his eyes in thought.

"Aion has been slain," he muttered, gaining Cora's attention.

"Who?"

"A demon who led a rebellion against Hell and was exiled," Caden explained, though he was clearly not focusing on Cora. That could be bad, he thought to himself. He made a mental note to add it to the things to ask the Order about.

Soon the ship had come to a halt and people began to walk down the gangplanks. Caden and Cora made their way down to the dock as well, Cora complaining about the slow speed of the lines while Caden just wished she'd be quiet for five minutes. Then they waited for the car to be unloaded. "You know cars aren't usually transported on a passenger liner," Cora started up. "But a little extra money goes a long way; plus my own personal modifications."

"It's enchanted, I know," Caden muttered. "Designed to fit through smaller spaces.."

"How did you know?"

"It reeks of magic," Caden answered simply, leaning against a wall with his eyes closed and arms folded. He looked up as the car was rolled down from a cargo hatch that it shouldn't have been able to fit through.

"Now then, let's get going," Cora said happily as she jumped into the driver's seat. "I'm finally going home!"

Caden joined her, as silent as ever. For the past hundred years Hell had been in civil war with the Sinners, those who Caden thought of as fools for believing they stood a chance against the powers of their own kind. He had faced demons and devils all across the globe, and the few Sinners he faced seemed to be among the weaker of the creatures. Perhaps that was why they rebelled. However foolish or not the Sinners had kept the demons distracted. If they had been destroyed, then the implications that carried were not pleasant.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"So this is the nunnery of the Order of Magdalene," Caden thought as he stepped out of the car. A large, gothic-styled building styled in the shape of a cross. There were other, smaller buildings scattered around it, with a wall enclosing the complex. It sat in the middle of the country on the outskirts of New York City. There was also a smell of a devil in the air, a smell similar to Aion's, but slightly different. "Something has happened here in your absence Cora," he muttered as he strode towards the front entrance.

"Yeah, I'm getting the same feeling," Cora replied. The two were drawing looks from the girls who were outside, all dressed similarly to Cora.

"Is that you Cora?" a girl asked, walking over to them. She had brown hair peeking out from beneath her habit, brown eyes and she was almost as tall as Cora.

"Gwen? I'm so glad to see you!" Cora cried, hugging the girl. "You've really grown haven't you?"

"I know, I'm glad to see you back," Gwen replied happily. "You've been gone for what? Three or four months?"

"I lost track," Cora replied as the girls outside gathered around, finally recognizing her.

"Cora? Really?" one girl muttered.

"The Lost Militia?" another said.

"Who's that by the way?" Gwen asked, gesturing at Caden.

"He's cute," one of the girls muttered, much to Caden's chagrin. He didn't like people fawning over him, especially if they were going to call him cute.

"My name is Caden," he replied. "I'm here to see whoever's in charge."

"He's a demon hunter," Cora added. "He's incredible too, there was this succubus who attacked us on the ship, and she didn't stand a chance. He beat her in two moves."

There was a resounding 'wow' from the girls that Caden found annoying. It was bad enough with Cora, he thought, now I have a whole nunnery chatting to me. "I would like to get going Cor- ack!" Caden nearly gagged as the girls crowded him and began playing with his hair, his cloak, looking at the weapons attached to his belt, examining the cross on his forehead, admiring his armour and someone pinched his cheeks.

"Girls!" a sharp, stern voice cried. "Please let him go." The girls all immediately stopped and stepped back, allowing Caden to stand. He rubbed his cheeks, flattened his hair and made sure his equipment was all still there. The one who'd spoken was a middle-aged woman with glasses and a black and white habit.

"My thanks Sister," Caden said, the polite remark sounding strangely cold coming from his lips.

"I am Sister Kate Valentine, I am in charge of this branch of the Magdalene Order, and who are you?"

"Caden Metern, demon hunter."

"What can our humble Order do for you hunter?" Sister Kate asked.

"I would like to speak to the rumoured 'reformed' devil; this Chrono," Caden replied. At the mention of the name though a ripple seemed to travel through the girls; a wave of what felt like sadness.

"Ah... I'm afraid Chrono is no longer with us. He passed away a few weeks ago, along with his partner Rosette. It was our most terrible loss," Sister Kate explained sadly. Caden's frown deepened at this news.

"That is most unfortunate news," Caden replied. "There are many smells in this city; the stench of devils and demons. Perhaps you can bring me up to date."

"Me too," Cora added. "By the way Sister Kate, I would like to report I was successful in my mission. The portal in Norway is no more and their branch of the Magdalene Order is recovering nicely."

"Well done Sister Cora. Both of you please come with me, I will explain what has happened."

The two followed her to her large office, a wood floored room with one wall consisting almost entirely of a massive window. Her desk sat near the window and she took a seat at it, and gestured to the two to sit on two large chairs that looked quite new. "These chairs are new," Cora said. "I don't remember you having any other chairs in your office."

"Silence," Caden ordered, at which Cora actually fell silent. "Now please begin Sister Kate." The story he was told was quite interesting, and listened with rapt attention and his fingers folded in front of his chin. The girl Rosette Christopher and her brother Joshua who met an entombed devil, Chrono, near their orphanage and befriended him. This brought the attention of Aion who sought to capture the Seven Apostles, of which Joshua was one.

Joshua was given Chrono's lost horns and lost all control of his new powers, destroying the orphanage and leaving it in a state of frozen time. Chrono and Rosette formed a contract, escaped and came to the nunnery where they became partners on missions which ultimately led to a meeting with the Sinners and Aion, ending in their destruction. However at the same time Rosette used up her lifeforce in her contract with Chrono, and since he lacked his horns they both passed away shortly after.

When Sister Kate finished Caden sat silent for a time, deep in thought. Cora seemed like she'd had the words punched out of her and she sat in a sad silence. Angrily Caden slammed his fist on the desk. Luckily he had enough control over his strength to prevent accidents, but the desk still groaned under the strike. "I find a lead and it runs dry," he muttered angrily.

"You're welcome to stay here until you decide what to do next," Sister Kate offered, explaining briefly the location of a handful of guest dorms.

"My thanks Sister," Caden replied as he stood and left the room. Cora stayed put and Caden was glad to be alone with his thoughts again, without the noise of others. "This lead isn't lost yet," he thought to himself. "If Chrono has been dead only a few weeks then perhaps..."

"Hey Caden!" Cora cried happily from behind, making him groan inside. "Sister Kate said you could be my partner."

"What?" Caden asked, perplexed.

"All of us nuns can have a partner for our missions, like Rosette had Chrono. I want you to be my partner," Cora explained.

"Absolutely not," Caden replied, turning away from her. "I work alone."

"But..." Cora started, sounding crushed.

"I said no. I am not part of this Order, and I never will. I work alone and for the Light," Caden explained. "We're here at the nunnery, you have fulfilled your promise, and so we have no further need to associate. Return to your life as normal," Caden finished harshly and walked off in the direction of the guest dorms leaving Cora stunned and hurt.

((()))

The directions Caden had been given proved adequate and he found the room without any problem, and managed to acquire a key too. At last he was able to lie back on the bed and think in peace. A demon who had died was a tricky business, but calling their soul back from the nether should be possible, he thought. "Problem is that whether a demon's essence has actually passed into the nether or not is an unknown variable," he muttered under his breath. "If he was returned to Hell, then retrieval would be impossible."

Caden sighed and got up to look out the window. It was getting dark, but the coming of spring was clear. The sunset was just finishing and the tinges of red and orange still lingered amongst the dark blue. It was a beautiful sight, and yet Caden found that any emotions he might have just seemed to be sucked out a hole in him. The hole that had been torn into him that night when... "No, I mustn't dwell on those events," he said aloud. "All I need to do is find out who did it and why."

There was a sudden frantic knock at his door. "Mr. Demon Hunter sir!" a girl's voice said. Caden opened the door and saw one of the girls standing there. "You have to hurry; there's been some kind of activity detected in town." The words had barely left the girl's mouth before Caden had pushed past her, moving as quickly as he could to get outside.

"No rest for the weary," he thought as he got outside. His cloak glowed white and Caden felt that strange sensation, like cracking knuckles, as it morphed into the form of wings and fused with his shoulders. The wings took solid form as a great pair of glowing, white feathered wings which he spread wide and with a flurry of light and feathers he soared into the sky, hoping they would last the distance.

From above Caden flew over the city, watching the grass and trees turn into tall buildings and grey streets. He could already feel the demon's presence nearby, and it was a powerful presence and it seemed to be coming from near Central Park. It was perhaps the most outstanding feature in the city, a rectangular patch of green and blue amidst the sea of grey. Caden folded his wings and dove down towards the park and skimmed above the trees as he tried to find the source of the demonic presence.

That was when he felt a sudden weakness in his wings and he cursed under his breath. His wings only lasted about twenty minutes at a time, and it seemed his time was almost up. Caden came down slowly and landed on the grass of the park, just as his wings returned to cloak form. The cloak fluttered down behind him and he stood still, summoning Sanctdia and trying to deduce where he felt a demon's presence most strongly.

He turned in the direction he felt evil coming from most strongly and moved cautiously in that direction, all his senses alert for the slightest movement. "Of course you would come Hunter," a voice said, deep and terrifying, penetrating into his mind. The speaker was using telepathy. "A boy playing a man, seeking his mommy and daddy, such a pathetic creature you are."

"Your taunts mean nothing. Show yourself!" Caden replied. Before his eyes a large creature appeared; an oblong creature the size of an elephant with tentacles hanging down and a double row of spikes on its back. It gazed at him with glowing eyes; one large orb surrounded by three smaller ones on each side and beneath the red orbs a gaping, tooth filled maw and slathering tongue.

"Surprised?"

"A beholder," Caden muttered. He jumped aside as a bolt of red energy shot from the creature's central eye. He threw out his hand and fired a bolt of light from his fingers, aimed at one of the eyes. The beholder chuckled and fired a ray of energy that destroyed the light bolt. Caden's frown deepened, he didn't expect this to be that easy. He somersaulted backwards as another eyebeam was fired at him.

"Always running aren't you boy," the Beholder taunted. Caden gritted his teeth, but ignored the insult. Rushing at this creature wouldn't be possible, it was too powerful and not even Sanctdia's whip form would be helpful. He dodged again as another eyebeam struck near him.

An idea came to mind and he leaped with all his supernatural strength and landed in a tree above him, moving quickly between them and throwing bolts of light down at the demon as he moved. Every eye was firing, attempting to destroy each bolt that Caden threw. He could feel the demon growing frustrated; that was a good sign. He fired a flurry of the bolts as he circled through, moving between the trees and the ground and then he clenched his silver gauntleted hand. It glowed with golden-white energy and he landed in front of the Beholder, opened his hand, palm out and fired.

"Holy Fire!" he cried as a massive wave of white flame flowed from his hand and surrounded the demon. It roared in pain as the power of light tore around its body, burning its flesh as one of the bolts it missed struck one of its smaller eyes. Caden grinned savagely as he watched the demon burn, but his feeling of success was cut short as pain suddenly wracked his body. He cried out and dropped to the ground, his assault being cut off.

"I am not beaten yet," the Beholder hissed, its flesh was burned and two of its eyes were bleeding black bile and clearly no longer worked. Caden tried to stand, but another bolt of red connected with his body and pain seared across every inch of his body. The beholder was approaching him slowly. "I delight in your pain." A dark purple bolt flew from its eye and Caden felt like his insides were burning as darkness flowed through him.

"I... will... break the seal if I must," Caden groaned through the pain, getting to his feet, only to drop to the ground again as the pain intensified. The cross on his forehead was beginning to glow. He gritted his teeth against the pain and tried to find the strength to stand, but couldn't manage it. He couldn't even find the strength to cast, and there was a warmth in his body as the cross on his head glowed ever brighter.

Then from somewhere there was the loud BANG of a gunshot. The Beholder roared in pain and Caden felt the overbearing pressure and agony vanish. He got to his feet and with Sanctdia he jumped through the air, moving at his usual blinding speed and stabbed the holy blade right into the demon's central eye and following up by extending it into whip form which pierced deep into the demon's body. White flame flowed down the weapon and spread through the demon's body. Finally he retracted the whip from the howling demon and proceeded to move at high speed and slice at it from every angle he could manage.

The burnt and mutilated demon gave one last furious howl and collapsed into flame, burning down to ash. Caden stood before the pile of ashes, feeling worn out. He'd never fought a Beholder before, and it was more than he'd been prepared for. His clothes and blade were stained with the black bile of the demon, and he was feeling ready to collapse. "Caden!" cried a familiar voice behind him. He turned around to see Cora running towards him, placing her gun back in its holster.

"Cora," Caden muttered. "Was it you who fired?"

Cora nodded. "I followed you, just in case you needed help. I'm sorry."

"I guess," Caden started to say before collapsing forward, utterly exhausted. Cora hurried over and caught him before he hit the ground.

"Are you okay Caden?" she asked softly.

"Simply weary," Caden replied quietly. He didn't have the strength to speak loudly. "You saved me Cora, so you have my thanks."

"Come on, let's get you home," Cora said, helping Caden to stand and half-carrying him to her car. As they drove back to the Magdalene Order HQ, Caden remained mostly silent and half-asleep. He was still thinking, as usual. He remembered hearing Cora was one of the Order's Militia, so she was one of the best they had to offer. Plus she had saved him, and without her he would either have been killed by the Beholder or by breaking his seal.

"Okay," he muttered sleepily.

"Hm?" Cora replied. "Okay?"

"We can be partners," Caden affirmed.

"Really! You mean it?" Caden nodded sleepily and Cora found herself abruptly reminded of how young he really was; the serious face he always wore was softened in his weariness.

"Will you tell me how you've become so powerful?" Cora asked.

"When I wish to tell you, I will tell you," Caden replied simply. Cora fell into silence as they drove on, seeing that Caden was even less willing to talk while tired. She had to note that he was at least nicer when he was tired, and she drove on.

"You go to bed and I'll make the report," Cora offered as they arrived back at the HQ.

Caden was too tired to argue, but he made a note to remember to give a more complete report when he was more rested. Even as tired as he was, his mind was already working on a solution to fighting Beholders. As he was now there was no way he could fight more than one at a time, and even one left him severely weakened and required the intervention of another to finish off. Even with Cora they wouldn't be able to stand against multiple Beholders at once. No, he would have to think of something else.

((()))

When Caden awoke the next morning he felt more rested than he had in a long time, and his watch told him it was seven o'clock. He quickly got dressed, armour and all, and studied both his gauntlet and sword. With a fresh mind he had some new thoughts. A Beholder's strengths were their eyes, but also their weakness. Caden had to find a way to make magic strike the eyes without being left vulnerable to their eyebeams. "Reflection magic," he muttered. If he could enchant Sanctdia to deflect the eyebeams then it would strike right back into the Beholder's eye.

That was a more difficult feat for him to accomplish, and it would take much more powerful spellwork than his more impending work. He'd come here for Chrono, but he was dead. It was a setback, but he could deal with that. First and foremost was to report to Sister Kate more properly. As he went he took a few quick bites of _panius _to ready himself for the day. Few of the nuns were up yet, but he didn't expect them to be.

As it turned out not even Sister Kate was up yet. That being the case Caden resigned himself to leaning against the wall while he waited. "Well this is a surprise," said a male voice. Caden looked up slightly to see a tall, blond man standing nearby and wearing a Magdalene Order outfit, though with a white robe instead of the blue coat a man would wear. "There are few boys in this place, especially ones as young as you."

"And yet you judge my strength and position by my age alone," Caden replied coldly.

"My apologies, but please, who are you?" the man asked.

"That depends on who's asking."

"I am Father Remington, former warrior of the Magdalene Order, now simply a humble priest."

"A retiree, resigning himself to preaching to a populace who are beginning to find their own ways to the Light," Caden mused, his tone still chilly. "Yet I will not judge you on your position and presume you only offer one path and do not force others to follow it. I am Caden Metern."

"The demon hunter?" Remington asked with surprise.

"Yes."

"You truly do not match your form, I had no idea the rumours were so literal. No offense intended."

"None taken."

"I presume you're waiting for Sister Kate."

"Correct." Waiting like this seemed like it was becoming a waste of his time, and it was time he could be spending studying appropriate enchantments for Sanctdia or constructing the circle. He moved from his position and began walking down the hall. "Tell her to meet me outside," he said to Remington and strode from the hall and out towards the grounds.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"What are you doing?" Cora asked, coming out to see Caden. He'd been up for about an hour now and been investigating the grounds of the nunnery, and Sister Kate had heard his report before returning back inside to deal with morning work. Caden currently was walking back and forth across a patch of grass and making gestures with his hands that made little real sense. "Hello?" she pressed as he ignored her.

"Setting up," he explained shortly. He spread his cloak into its wing form and soared up above the patch of grass, one of the large sections, and gazed over it intently.

"Setting up what?" Cora asked as he landed again.

"Spirit Circle," Caden replied, taking a small satchel from his pocket and moving to a spot in the middle of the grass. He knelt down and laid down a line of white salt that he curved around into a circle. Then he moved inside and created a cross within the circle, with another circle at its center and another in each of the empty areas between the circle's edge and the cross' inward corners.

"What's a Spirit Circle?"

"Circle for summoning a spirit."

"You're summoning a spirit?"

"I need four of you to help me out, we're going to be bringing Chrono here," Caden explained. "Quick, go bring Sister Kate and the rest of the nuns here," he ordered. His voice held enough authority that Cora agreed and ran off to do as bidden. Meanwhile Caden sprinkled Holy Water across the center circle, and continued to prepare the circle by straightening certain parts and double-checking everything.

"Mr. Metern," Sister Kate's voice said. Caden looked back to see the people he'd requested. "What are you planning on doing?"

"Recalling Chrono's spirit," Caden explained shortly. "Now I need Gwen to stand here," Caden said, gesturing to a circle. "Cora I need you here" he continued, gesturing to a second circle. "Two others who knew Chrono." He saw a couple girls raise their hands and he moved to the group and grabbed two of them, pulling them after him to their positions.

"What are we doing?" Gwen asked. "How are we going to summon Chrono?"

"I've never heard of anything like this," Sister Kate said. "It almost seems... like a demonic ritual."

"It is a spirit ritual," Caden corrected, his tone as flat and chilly as ever. "Now girls, I need each of you to remember Chrono and think of him. Picture him in your head." He moved to the edge of the middle circle and raised his gauntleted hand over it which glowed with a golden light. "Spirits of Light, Mighty Saints, and Council on High, I call out to thee. Into the Nether I speak, and I call out to all that govern this realm to grant me access to the Realm of the Dead," Caden chanted.

"Is it actually working?" one of the girls on the sidelines asked as the circle suddenly began to glow a soft, calming blue light. Every line and every circle was glowing and surrounding them all in its blue light.

"The Nether is open, you have my thanks Powers of Heaven," Caden said. "Into the Nether I call, I seek the reformed devil Chrono. Follow my voice Chrono, follow it through the River of the Nether and come to me, return to the World of the Living so that I might speak with you," he chanted. The glow from his gauntlet changed to blue and a blue flame struck up in the center circle, growing brighter and stronger by the second.

Then at last a shape appeared in the flames which died down to reveal the transparent, glowing blue form of a boy of about fifteen with strange purple hair and red eyes set in a kindly face. He wore a simple robe, red in colour, and was looking around in slight confusion. "Where am I?" he asked as Caden almost-smiled and the girls all gasped.

"Chrono? Is it really you?" Sister Kate asked.

"Sister Kate?" Chrono asked. "Am I at the Magdalene Order's HQ?"

"Yes you are," Caden said, interrupting everyone else. "As much as I'm sure everyone would like a happy reunion, there is no time and I called you back from the Nether for a reason."

"I don't think I ever met you," Chrono said. "Who are you?"

"I am Demon Hunter Caden Metern, and I called you back as the sole reformed devil who might have answers of some kind for me."

"A demon hunter? And you trust me?"

"Yes. Now my first question is: do you know who slaughtered the Metern clan?"

"I'm afraid not. I'm not sure I've ever heard of the Metern clan, though I was trapped in a cave for-"

"Very well, then to my next question. I expected you not to know what fate befell my family, but I know there is an artifact that can grant its user the answer to any questions they might have. From my gathered knowledge it was lost to demons many centuries ago."

Chrono shifted uncomfortably in his position, but nodded. "Yes, there is such an item. The Crown of Knowledge, the wearer will be granted knowledge to anything they might desire. However its power came from five gems that were stolen many centuries ago on... Aion's orders. They never returned to him though, his raiding party was slaughtered and the gems fell into the hands of the Dark Lords. They never found the crown itself though, and so the gems were divided amongst them until such time as the Crown was recovered."

Caden's face was set as stone as he listened to Chrono's story. "I see, I have heard of the Dark Lord; the Lord of the Vampires, the Lord of the Werewolves, the Lord of Necromancy, the Lord of Sorcery and the Lord of Darkness. What are the gems?"

"If I recall there was a topaz, a ruby, a sapphire, an emerald and a diamond."

"Where can I find the Dark Lords?" Caden asked further.

"Well there- what's going on!" Chrono cried out as the circle's glow suddenly changed to red. Caden was immediately on his guard. "What's happening Caden?"

"Someone's interfering with the ritual," Caden muttered. There was an immense sense of dread washing over him, more powerful than anything he'd ever felt before. Someone was coming who was far more powerful than anything he'd ever faced. "Everyone back now!" he commanded to the girls. Cora however rushed towards him as he stood ready with his sword. Suddenly red energy twined itself around her legs and Chrono was held by loops of red energy around his wrists and ankles.

"This sense of dread, is there a demon more powerful than Aion?" Chrono asked.

"Amusing display," a voice said. The voice was soft, and charming, but also arrogant and with malice oozing through it. Behind Chrono a dark cloud appeared, at the center of which stood a tall, dark shape that moved towards Chrono. "Many thanks Hunter," the figure said. "Thanks to your little ritual I have been able to retrieve the one demon who slipped my grasp at death, but now Chrono you are mine."

"No! He belongs to the Light now," Caden cried and fired twin bolts of light at the Darkness, only for them to be snuffed out. He barely moved towards the figure when it fired a bolt of darkness right at him, and the intense pain and agony it caused Caden forced him to stop dead in his tracks and collapse to his knees.

"Come Chrono," the Darkness said, grabbing the spirit by his neck and vanishing with him. After the two vanished the glow died down and Cora's feet were released. She hurried towards Caden, but he was already getting to his feet.

"What was that?" Cora asked.

"I don't know, but I have suspicions," Caden replied. "And they're not promising."

((()))

Chrono was floating, spread-eagled, above a pit of lava in a part of Hell he didn't recognize. His wrists and ankles were still bound by red-energy and he struggled to escape, but all for naught. "Who are you?" Chrono shouted, his voice echoing around the cavern in which the lava sat. From the darkness emerged the figure that'd captured him, now much more revealed, though covered in a dark cloak.

"Really Chrono? Has your business with Sinners and Pursuers, and of course Mary Magdalene, really blocked from your mind the image of your true master?" the figure asked.

"What?"

"Remember that day all those centuries ago? You were searching for power, the power to destroy the village that had laid waste to your own in its attempts at expansion and conquest. That day when you vowed to give up anything for the power you needed. Then I came to you, I granted your wish. I gave you power and knowledge beyond your wildest dreams; I elevated you from your weak, pathetic human form to the might of a devil. An Incubus Lord, a master of deception and magic." Chrono listened with rapt attention as the memories returned, pain appearing on his face. He had indeed forgotten how he'd become a devil. He'd assumed he'd always been one, but he should've known that none of his kin started as they were now.

"You... no, I forgot because it was too painful," Chrono muttered.

"And with that power you slaughtered and butchered your way to victory, tearing apart the most powerful settlement in your area and killing hundreds in your rage. Women and children even, and what a spectacle it was." The figure's voice became angry when he spoke again. "And then you betrayed me! Not Aion no, that was simply a ruse to serve my own purpose. No, you returned to serving the Light, you served Heaven again alongside a human."

"I'd had enough of destruction and carnage," Chrono protested. "I would do anything to give up my devilhood."

"But you cannot. And now it is time for you to fulfill your part of our contract. You will once again serve your master, the master of all demons, the one to whom you all owe your very existence too!" the figure cried triumphantly. He pulled back his hood to reveal a fair, angelic visage, but with dark eyes that burned like cinders and cracks and scars across his skin that seeped fire and darkness. "Bow down to me Chrono, bow down to Lucifer, the Lord of Hell!" he cried and Chrono's restraints vanished, causing him to plummet into the lava below.

From the lava pit Chrono re-emerged, now corporeal. He still looked like a kid, but was now garbed in a white shirt, red shorts, black close-fitting pants underneath, white socks and brown boots. Over all this he wore a red coat and a red head band around his forehead with his purple hair tied into a long braided ponytail. "I have restored your body," Lucifer said, standing tall over Chrono. "Now bow to me."

"I won't," Chrono protested fiercely, but he found he was having trouble standing straight.

"Your contract states quite clearly that in return for your devil powers, you will serve me for eternity. Now bow to me," Lucifer commanded.

Chrono tried to resist further, but some force was pushing him into a bowing position. At last he sighed sadly and gave in, dropping into a bow. "Lord Lucifer, how might I serve you?" he said at last.

((()))

"You think that was Lucifer!" Cora cried as Caden stood in a room to an assembly of the nunnery. A shiver went through the crowd at the mention of the dreaded name.

"I have often doubted whether Aion truly operated on his own, or if he was simply a pawn in a larger game," Caden explained to the group. "Regardless, his destruction has paved the way for his masters to make their move."

"Everyone be ready, but don't deviate from your normal routine," Sister Kate said. "Master Metern told me that the ritual was what allowed the Dark Prince access to our world, he cannot harm us now." She looked for Caden, but he had left the room. He had spellwork to do on Sanctdia. It wasn't long before Cora had caught up with him though.

"Why'd you leave?" Cora asked.

"I was done talking."

"But-"

"Sister Kate can handle things, now be quiet."

"We're partners; can't you try to be a little more friendly?" Cora asked with annoyance.

"No," Caden replied and continued walking until he was outside again. He needed a place strong in the light where he could work his magic. Sanctdia's enchantments could only be done with holy magic, his forte, and to be sufficiently strong enough he would need a spot where Heaven's power was strong. It would have to be somewhere high up and well lit in both day and night, or perhaps somewhere of significant holy presence. "Cora," he said suddenly, his abruptness making her jump.

"Yes?"

"This orphanage where Rosette and Joshua came from, do you know where it is?"

"Seventh Bell? It's on the northern end of Long Island. Why?"

"Take me there."

"What? Why?"

"Because I told you to."

Cora tried to protest, but Caden was already walking in the direction of her car, so she sighed and followed after him. She tried to question him further as they got in her car and as they drove, but he was ignoring her again. As he spent more time with her he was finding it easier to block out the annoying chatter she pelted him with, or incessant questions.

"Why do you only wear one gauntlet?" Cora asked at last.

"Lost the other," Caden answered simply.

"Oh. Did you lose the rest of the pairs? You only have one pauldron and one armoured boot."

"Yes." Caden had his arms folded again, a sign he was thinking and trying more than ever to block out sounds from others. The loss of Chrono's spirit to Lucifer was highly problematic. He didn't want to have to end up fighting him, that devil had enough pain to deal with already; Caden didn't want to add to it.

Thinking of Chrono reminded him of Rosette. Caden had not meant to take her love from her for so long, and yet now she would never see him again. She rested in Heaven; she was Mary Magdalene after all. She would be reborn one day, but until then she would've been with Chrono. Now Lucifer had him, and he would never let him go. The pain and guilt of what he had done he crushed down into that hole in him. He didn't want to think how worried and upset Rosette was right now. So like all his pain he crushed it away until he could only barely feel it.

"Do you think... I mean since we're partners do you think you could train me a bit?"

"I don't use guns," Caden replied without even moving his gaze from the road ahead. "However if you want assistance in fist or melee weapon combat, then I will train you."

"O-okay," Cora replied. No matter how cheery or optimistic she was, Caden always made her feel like she was just an annoying little girl in his eyes. Yet she was _older _than him. "Why don't you use guns?"

"Crude. Inefficient. Pay attention to driving." Caden was getting annoyed with her chatter, and it became quite clear as he spoke. He was glad Cora got the message as she immediately after ceased talking. They were leaving the city by this point and moving up Long Island. Caden sighed, so much had happened in such a short time span. Aion was dead, the sole distraction of Lucifer's focus, and he stole Chrono away from one of the Holiest beings in Heaven. No matter, he had to focus on other matters. The weaving he would be doing soon required his full attention.

"If Lucifer could capture Chrono, did he also capture Aion?" Cora asked.

"Finally, a smart thought," Caden replied. "The answer is yes. However we won't have to worry about him. Aion was both a traitor and a failure; Lucifer will leave Aion to his endless torment. He will never rise again. He was never truly a threat. He would have been eliminated once his usefulness had come to an end."

Cora was silent after this, taking in the information and busy driving. The city was giving way to country, the skyscrapers and town houses becoming larger houses amongst green grass and trees. Then this gave way to rolling hills and green forests. At last as the clock neared noon they drove down the driveway that led to the buildings and large expanse of grass that made up Seventh Bell Orphanage.

There were some kids playing outside as Caden stepped out of the car, and one of the Matrons was watching over them, surprised at the sight of the visitors. "Hello, how may I help you?" she said, walking over to the two, though Caden was already looking around for something.

"Nice armour," one of the kids said to Caden, following him as he searched for his unseen quarry. The kid was almost the same age as Caden, perhaps exactly the same. Yet the difference in experience and maturity was almost palpable. Caden completely ignored the kid, even as a few others came over to look at his armour. Instead he was moving to different parts of the field and looking out towards the forest, and sometimes raising his hand a little as if feeling for something, or testing the wind.

"What are you doing?" one of the kids asked.

"None of you business," Caden replied flatly.

"You don't have to be so cold we were just asking," one of the kids said.

"And I just answered. Now return to your business and let me get on with mine."

"What _are _you doing anyways?" Cora asked as she joined him and the kids dispersed.

"Think Cora, what was near Seventh Bell?"

"Um, well, there was... I can't think of anything," Cora said. "Oh I know! The place they found Chrono. The Tomb of Mary Magdalene!"

"Yes," Caden affirmed. Finally he stopped looking around, like he'd found some invisible scent. He could feel the warmth of Holy magic radiating out from a spot in the distance. A warmth that spread across him. His cape shifted into wings and he scooped Cora up before flying up into the air to follow the energy to its source.

"How are you so strong!" Cora cried, clutching his arms tightly and closing her eyes. He was carrying her horizontally and the fact that there was nothing between her back and the ground far below was discomforting. That on top of the fact she was afraid of heights made her feel like she was going to faint. "More importantly are you strong enough that you won't drop me!"

"I won't drop you," Caden said. Despite his usual cold tone there was an element of warmth that may have been an attempt at comfort.

"I hope not." She could hear his wings flapping as he flew over the forest. She had to admit she was actually beginning to feel something too, even though she was terrified out of her mind.

Caden meanwhile was searching the forest below for any sign of the Tomb. Although he was beginning to doubt whether Mary Magdalene would do anything for him after what he'd done, but he refused to let those thoughts trouble him and he crushed away the doubt and guilt until he could once again feel nothing.


	4. Chapter 4

_Note: Let's get this out of the way now. I am completely ignoring that scene at the end of the anime where Remington thinks he sees Aion. My call on that is that it wasn't Aion, just someone who looked similar._

**Chapter 4**

Core screamed as Caden suddenly began to dive. He'd found what he was looking for, the source of the energy. After a few seconds he landed next to a small cave entrance in a cliff face. Holy energy flowed from the cave like a river and he could feel it washing around him. It reminded him of his family, and of the days spent in the Conclave. He put Cora down and she staggered around queasily. Caden waited as she hurried into a bush and vomited, and returned looking barely any better.

"Here," he said, breaking off a small piece of _panius _and handing it to her.

"Ugh, Caden I don't think I can eat anything," Cora groaned, slumping against a tree and clutching her stomach.

"You'll feel better afterwards," he said as he began walking into the cave, summoning a ball of light to see by. Cora tossed the bread, or wafer, she wasn't really sure what it was, into her mouth and was surprised by the rich taste it had. She felt almost instantly revitalized and when she swallowed it seemed like her nausea had never happened. Feeling significantly better she hurried after Caden.

"You Conclave members really know what you're doing," Cora said.

"I'm not in the Conclave." Caden continued on in silence, ignoring Cora's occasional attempts to strike up conversation with him. The cave tunnel slowly gave way to a manmade one formed of grey brick and arches, and partially flooded. It was some sort of catacomb, or maybe a sewer. He heard Cora make some sort of complaint about the water, but ignored her as usual.

'Ah ha!' Caden thought as he saw a pair of steel doors ahead. They were still sitting ajar from four years prior and inside was the large, cross-engraved sarcophagus of the last incarnation of Mary Magdalene, the one prior to Rosette. The Holy power surrounded them both, feeling warm and comforting; like a mother's embrace.

"This feeling... it's so warm," Cora muttered. Caden walked up to the tomb and placed Sanctdia upon it. The sword glinted silver and gold, like the rays of an angel's wings, even in the low light of Caden's light sphere. He tossed the sphere and it hovered in the air over their heads, casting its glow around the tomb. "What are you-" Cora began.

"Be quiet," Caden ordered. Cora fell silent and Caden closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He held his hands out over the sword and reached out into the intense magic in the sword and in the air around them and called it to him. Then he began to weave the surrounding magic into the sword, calling on Holy energy from the Realm Above, and weaving like he was creating a tapestry. Caden had to put his entire focus and being into this, or the new enchantment would be subpar. To further the enchantment he began to chant in old Latin, chanting a long incantation in a melodic way that sounded almost like he was singing.

To Cora he seemed to be in a trance, and for the most part he actually was. He needed to focus completely on his blade, his magic, and the magic around him. She drew her special gun as she waited for him to finish. As a Militia she had access to the best equipment available, and she'd taken that a step further by constructing the Vindicator. It was similar to the standard-issue Militia pistols, but was made of a gold alloy with white trim. The metal she'd used in its construction came from a meteorite she found and she mixed the metal with gold to create the alloy the gun was made from.

In addition the Vindicator possessed a scope object above the barrel that acted to help her target, and sometimes had other uses to it using enchanted lenses. Overall the gun was smooth and streamlined and all bullets she fired from it were coated in Holy energy which sent a burst of light into the target when it connected. Yet even with the immense power of this unique firearm at her side, she'd never managed the demon kills she'd seen Caden perform, or the ones she'd heard that he'd performed.

"Eight years of training and a thirteen year old makes me look like a rookie," she thought sadly. He was incredible and she was impressed, but she couldn't help but feel a little jealous that someone so much younger than her was miles stronger than her, or even Remington. "Are we even needed with Caden around?" she mused. She'd never doubted her abilities before, but he was making her re-think her entire career.

Then there was Caden himself. She watched him working, his blond hair lit by the light and looking like golden fire. He was so young, but he seemed so troubled. It was like he carried the entire weight of the world on his young shoulders. "Maybe that's why he's so cold," Cora thought. "Maybe it's the only way he can stay sane with all that he seems to bear." If only he would tell her what it was. She couldn't blame him really; they'd only known each other for about a week.

There was a golden glow from the sarcophagus and Caden blinked quickly as he awoke from his trance. Sanctdia was glowing bright with the new enchantment, though the glow faded out over the next few seconds. Caden grabbed his blade and could sense the power of the new enchantment on it. The spell had gone really well and he was pleased with the result. He turned towards the doors and proceeded out them. "Move," he ordered Cora.

As they walked Caden was pondering what to do next. His sword was fixed, he'd gotten his lead, and so now he had little need to stay at the Order. However he did still want to see what he could learn about the Dark Lords. He needed a new lead, and he didn't have one yet. If he could draw some of the Dark Lords' minions to New York, then perhaps he would get a lead through that. All the time he was becoming keenly aware of Cora's eyes on him. "Is there a reason you're staring at me?" he asked as they neared the cave exit.

"It's nothing," Cora replied, looking up. "I was just thinking."

"Yes, I noticed you were oddly quiet. What a surprise. Here I thought you Magdalenes were all gun and no brains," Caden replied as he walked out from the cave and spread his wings. Before Cora could say anything Caden scooped her up and soared into the sky.

"I hate this! Humans weren't meant to be this far above the ground," Cora cried, squeezing her eyes shut.

Caden ignored her, but as they soared towards the orphanage he felt that twinge in his senses that was all too recognizable. There was also that thick, pungent smell that only he could smell. It was the smell of something dark, of something demonic. The worst part; it was heading towards the orphanage. That it was during the daytime seemed a little odd, but not entirely uncharacteristic. Caden had found some of the less intelligent demons and monsters thought it was a good idea to be unexpected and attack during the day when the power of Heaven was strongest.

Cora gave a scream as Caden dove down towards the orphanage. They were just ahead of the darkness he sensed. He landed and let Cora stumble away, giving her another piece of _panius _to calm her stomach. As he felt the darkness approaching he gained a sharper sense of what was coming. They were monsters, not demons. Demonic energy clung to them, meaning they were sent by demons. "Cora, tell the matron to get the children inside," Caden ordered. Cora nodded and ran to do as she was told.

He watched as she spoke to the Matron, speaking of the orphanage being under attack. She seemed to be having little luck convincing them. The kids were still playing and some were once again congregating around him, admiring his armour and the sword he now held ready.

"Don't be ridiculous Sister, nothing can attack this orphanage," Caden heard the Matron say as he approached. "A child's hunch is hardly reason to worry the children."

"A child's hunch?" Caden asked. "I would strongly suggest you listen to my 'hunch' as you put it, or all of you will once again end up in a state worse than the one you were in the last four years."

"What are you talking about dear?" the Matron asked, talking like he wasn't right in his head.

"Do not matronize me woman. Do as you're told and get everyone inside," Caden ordered. "Do it!"

Like she'd seen happen many times in the week since she'd known him, Cora heard that note of incredible authority in Caden's voice that didn't match his youthful voice at all, and yet seemed stronger than even the President's. Like she herself had done, the Matron buckled under his words and began gathering the children.

Satisfied, Caden returned to his watch. He could hear it now, and in the distance, across the vast fields around the orphanage, he could see the dark shape of something coming. There was a pounding of feet which collectively sounded like a roar. Then there was the clattering of steel and wood. He recognized them now.

"What are they?" Cora asked, running to his side.

"Orcs," Caden replied.

"They must be after the kids, trying to capture them to be slaves," Cora added.

"I see you have some intelligence after all," Caden muttered his cold gaze fixed on the approaching orcs.

"Hey! I'm a Militia Caden I'm the height of the Order of Magdalene. I also spent the last few months fighting orcs in Scandinavia."

The war party was in sight now. A group of maybe fifty stout, humanoid creatures with grey leather-like skin covered in warts. They were slightly hunched, but stood about six feet tall even while hunched and were broad and muscled. They reminded Caden of gorillas mixed with humans. Like a typical orc war party they were also all mounted on the horse-sized half-wolf/half-hyena monsters called Wargs.

He saw Cora gripping her Vindicator gun tightly and had to wonder what exactly happened in Scandinavia. People rarely responded to him being surprised at their abilities; in his own way, and yet he seemed to have touched a nerve with her. Caden didn't really care that he had, but he was slightly curious as to why it bothered her.

The orcs were quite close now, close enough to smell. Caden swept his arm horizontally and six light bolts flew into the crowd of monsters. Each bolt found a target and some of the orcs dropped to the ground dead, while others were thrown forwards as their warg mounts came crashing to the ground. He fired off another volley, but this time into the ground where each burst into white fire. The warband was surprised at the flames that sprang up inches from them and those on the front line rode right into them, the wargs raging and howling as they burned. Their masters leapt off and rolled around, trying to put their own flames out.

Caden leapt through the flames at speed exceeding the wargs and landed on the shoulders of a warg, facing its master. The orc cried out in surprise before Caden struck the creature dead with his blade. Sanctdia stretched out into its whip-form as he stood upon the warg and he swept it out through all adjacent orcs, cutting them in half in showers of black blood. He summoned a knife of light and stabbed it into his warg's neck. It howled in pain and rage as it crashed to the ground. Caden back flipped off as it crashed and landed lightly on the ground.

He could hear Cora's gunshots and saw bullets strike the orcs, causing them to be torn off their mounts in bursts of black blood. Shortly afterwards their warg mounts crashed to the ground. This was all Caden lived for, and this was where he felt most alive, the destruction of creatures of darkness. The white fire as Sanctdia tore through orcs and wargs alike and the black blood showering out as the monsters died.

Caden stood in the midst of the raiding party, the creatures trying to swarm him or overpower him. They attacked with crudely made swords and were garbed in roughly made armour. The power of Sanctdia cut through them all and when Cora caught a glimpse of him fighting in the crowd on monsters she swore he looked more like an angel as he fought with light and white fire flashing around him. Now she saw why he was demon hunter; all of Hell's creations were his prey and he destroyed them wherever he could.

At last the final monster crashed to the ground and Caden withdrew his blade from the warg's corpse. Despite the intensity of the battle he bore only a few cuts and gashes, and the black orc blood was nowhere to be seen on him. Even the stains on Sanctdia shortly vanished in a burst of white flame. "Well done Cora," he said simply to her as he walked from the battlefield. He turned and sent out a shower of white flame from his sword that he swept across the battlefield until it had touched every corpse. The bodies and blood vanished into the flames and when they faded it seemed as though the battle had never happened.

"Who are you really?" Cora asked in awe.

"Caden. That is who I am," he answered. "Now let's go, I have much I need to look into."

((()))

"Why Chrono, how nice to see you on your feet again," said a cruel, female voice behind the incubus. He was walking across the red desert around the mighty citadel of Lucifer. Behind him was that massive fortress, spikes and walls of black metal crowned with a mighty tower with a crown of spikes, all under the red sky of Hell. Chrono looked around to see a shape atop a nearby rocky hill that he had not seen for a long time now.

It was a figure with the upper body of a woman, but the lower body of a great spider. She skittered down the hill and revealed herself to him. He recognized her, and he was surprised. "Rizal!" he cried. "But you were killed months ago."

"Yes, so it seemed. I was falling, and dying for sure. Then he spoke out to me in my death throes," Rizal explained. "He offered to save me if I renewed my contract with him. Of course I agreed." She grinned cruelly down at him. "Are you the same?"

"Not exactly," Chrono muttered. "But... my contract with him is bound tight."

"Lord Lucifer is our master. He is the master of all demons," Rizal said. "And while he has recalled us all to his side, there is one who will never be restored to his glory."

"Who?" Chrono asked.

"Come," Rizal hissed, opening a swirling portal of darkness in front of her. She walked through it and Chrono followed shortly behind. In his mind he wished he could be elsewhere. He had no choice though, he'd tried to resist, but his body froze up completely if he attempted to do anything against Lucifer's wishes. He couldn't even think of dissenting thoughts, they always cut short.

"Please help me Ros-" he tried to say, but the words froze in his mouth and his tongue seemed to stick to his mouth. "Ros...ette," he struggled out, pain beginning to grip his body. The moment he finished speaking, however, the pain immediately subsided as though it had never been.

The portal led to a massive pit carved into the red rock with a crude path leading down into it. Pools of lava and blood were scattered across the ground and there were hundreds of emaciated or transparent figures scattered across the pit, suffering some kind of torture or another. Some were being stretched, but never being pulled apart so that the pain became more and more intense. Others were being cut apart, then being restored only to be cut apart again.

Still others were being dunked into the lava or being bled endlessly over the pools. The sights were too gruesome for Chrono to continue looking and he cast his gaze at the ground, horrified at what he was seeing. "How could I have lived here so long, and yet seen so little of this?" he asked himself. Perhaps it was his penchant for spending more time on Earth than in Hell.

"Here we are," Rizal said, stopping before a particularly emaciated figure. Chrono looked up to see the thin, infected and brutally scarred form of a white-haired man bound in chains on a wall and stretched out behind a cage frame. He wore a tattered loincloth and bled from his scars.

"Is that... Aion?" Chrono asked, looking up at the weak and skeletal form in chains.

"Indeed, isn't a most hilarious sight? He was so arrogant and full of himself, he thought himself above his master, above the one who made him who he was. And now look at him, reduced to nothing more than a broken zombie," Rizal said gleefully. "It's utterly hilarious in its irony."

Chrono wasn't sure what to think. He hated Aion for all he'd done, but he wasn't sure he deserved this. The former devil didn't even acknowledge him, or anyone, he simply stared out into space with glazed, atrophied eyes while his tortures continued. Hooks ripping his body apart perpetually, his body being torn apart forever, and his mind dead to everything; and as Chrono looked on he felt utterly powerless.

((()))

"Cora!" a pale girl cried as Caden and she stepped out of their car. The girl was about the same age as Caden, with white hair and pink eyes. She wore a white version of the Magdalene Order's outfit. "Maybe you don't remember me; you were just leaving when I first came here. I'm Asmaria."

"Yes I remember you Asmaria," Cora replied kindly. "Goodness you've grown."

Caden strode through across the grounds, ignoring the reunion. He knew of Asmaria, but he really didn't care. However he was aware of her eyes on him, but he ignored her gaze. He had work to do. The Dark Lords, he needed to find them and he needed to retrieve the Crown.

"Who is that?" Asmaria asked with awe.

"Hm? Oh he's my new partner, a demon hunter," Cora said. "You should see him fight, he's pretty incredible."

"He is incredible," Asmaria added dreamily. She ran off following him leaving Cora to facepalm.

"I get one of the former Apostles a crush on a demon hunter," she muttered to herself. "And not just any demon hunter, this one happens to be the least social kid in the entire world."

"Hello Caden," Asmaria said, catching up to him. "I'm Asmaria, nice to meet you."

"Do you want something?" Caden asked.

"O-oh I was wondering where you were going," Asmaria said, not deterred by his cold tone.

"Library," he replied simply, still walking and with Asmaria beside him, though she had to jog to keep up with him.

"Would you like some tea Caden?" she asked pleasantly.

"Might as well."

"Okay! I'll go get right on that," Asmaria cried happily, running off. As she went she passed Cora. "I'm making tea for him," she said to Cora. "Isn't he handsome?"

"You weren't bothered by his coldness?" Cora asked.

"He's a little frosty, but I'm sure he'll warm up to me."

Cora sighed as Asmaria ran off and followed Caden into the library. "Good luck with that Asmaria," Cora thought. "I've been trying to get him defrosted for a week."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

When Caden saw Cora catch up with him he had already found a desk with his jacket and cloak draped over the back of his chair and he was searching for a book. His gauntlet and gloves were sitting on the table near the chair. She found it weird to see him with only his shirt covering his torso. He didn't even wear a tie of some kind, and since she'd only ever seen him with cloak and jacket before, he looked almost naked without them.

"What are you looking for?" she asked, moving to his side.

"Anything to do with the Dark Lords," Caden replied.

"Well there's the Lord of the Werewolves, Lord of the Vampires, Lord of Sorcery, Lord of Necromancy and the Lord of Shadow, or Lord of Darkness," Cora counted off.

"I know that," Caden replied. "Need to find them."

"Oh, yeah I guess that could be difficult. Can you smell them or something? You _are _a demon hunter."

"I can't hunt without a trail," Caden replied, grabbing a few books that he thought might be helpful.

"Any way I can help?" Cora asked. In response Caden dropped one of the books right in front of her and continued reading his own. "Would it kill him to say 'gee thanks for the offer Cora, here help me look through these'," she thought.

"Um," came the timid voice of Asmaria after about twenty minutes. "Mr. Caden, I have your tea here." Caden looked up to see her holding a rather full tray of teacups, a teapot, milk jug, sugar pot and a few biscuits. Worried she might drop it and make a mess, he got up and took the tray from her, carrying it easily to the desk and setting it down. He poured himself a cup of tea and left it black, taking a sip every now and then as he read, shutting out most of the outside world and yet keeping his senses alert to everything.

"So Asmaria," Cora started as the girl sat down at the desk as well. "Where have you been? You weren't here when I got back yesterday, or all morning."

"Oh, I was visiting Joshua. He wanted me to look at his book, so I did," Asmaria said. "And we... talked about things."

"I know, Rosette and Chrono," Cora said, seeing sadness on the girl's face. "Well there's something that happened to Chrono just this morning, before you got back."

"Happen to Chrono? But he passed away weeks ago," Asmaria said, confused.

"Well-" Cora began, trying to think how to explain it.

"I drew his soul back to Earth to speak with him, and he got kidnapped by Lucifer," Caden said, not looking up from his book. In fact Cora wondered if he'd even stopped reading.

"What he said," Cora added.

"What! Chrono came back and I missed him? Who's Lucifer?" Asmaria rambled worriedly.

"You've never heard of Lucifer?" Cora asked.

"Well, no, I never was allowed to do much, definitely not education."

"Well, Lucifer was one of the most powerful angels in Heaven, and he came to think that he should rule the cosmos instead of God and tried to destroy Him. He was stopped and as punishment he was cast into Hell where he's become the most powerful devil, the king of Hell itself."

"And he kidnapped Chrono?" Asmaria asked fearfully.

"Enslaved," Caden said shortly.

"Enslaved?"

"Well, Chrono _is _a devil," Cora said. "So at one point he made a contract with Lucifer to become one. Caden believes Lucifer has called on Chrono to fulfill his end of the contract."

"What's that?" asked Asmaria, sounding more worried by the second.

"Eternal... servitude," Cora replied slowly and sadly.

"But... what-" Asmaria stuttered, failing to come up with anything to express her despair at the situation. There were tears almost in her eyes.

"He will be forced to fight," Caden said. "He's a traitor, so Lucifer will punish him. Chrono will be forced to fight and kill anyone his master tells him to."

"That's horrible. Poor Chrono," Asmaria muttered. "How can you be so calm about everything?" she cried at Caden, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks. Her two best friends had been torn apart and one would be forced to do what he hated to do, and Rosette would be forced to just watch. She couldn't imagine how they would be suffering.

"Because I'm going to save him," Caden replied. "Cora, take her somewhere to calm down, I need to work."

It was an order and Cora had long since ceased to bother arguing with his orders or trying to resist that strange authority of his. She got up and took Asmaria's hand, leading her out. "Don't worry Asmaria," Cora said as they walked out into the grounds. "Caden will save Chrono, I know he will. In the week I've known him I've seen him do incredible things."

"I'm want to help," Asmaria said, wiping her eyes. "I'm training to become an Exorcist now, just like Rosette. I want to help you and Caden save Chrono."

Cora was surprised, to say the least. Asmaria was so timid and shy when she'd briefly met her nearly a year ago. Now she seemed much stronger, but having also known Rosette it had to make Cora wonder if she should've been surprised. "You'll have to talk to him about it. He doesn't accept help very easily."

"I still think he's the most handsome boy I've seen," Asmaria added. Thinking of Caden seemed to brighten her mood, she wasn't really sure why. Sure he had the most incredible blue eyes, and the nicest blond hair, and nicest face she'd ever seen, but there was something more to him that she couldn't explain. "There's something else to him. I just can't explain it."

"I know what you mean," Cora agreed. "Anyway, are you ready to go back?"

"Yes, I am," Asmaria said with a smile. "Rosette and Chrono taught me to try to stay positive, so that's what I'm going to do."

When they went back to the library, Caden had barely moved. The book was further ahead, and Cora was surprised at the amount he'd been through. "Is he good at everything?" Cora wondered.

"Caden..." Asmaria began. "Can I join you and-"

"No," Caden interrupted.

"But, he's my friend."

"I said no."

"Why not?" Asmaria pressed.

Caden was silent for a time, ignoring her question as he read. She had a point, Chrono was her friend and she had every right to help him, but he couldn't forgive himself if he put her in danger's way and she ended up dead because of such carelessness. Then again Cora had surprised him, so perhaps he should try to give Asmaria a chance. "I'll think about it," he said at last. After another hour and a half and moving onto another book, Caden had yet to find anything that might help him draw out one of the Dark Lords.

At last Caden considered himself done for now. He'd gotten no results, and he'd been still for far too long. He needed to get to training, which he'd not had time for so far that day. Getting up he put the books back on the shelf, got his jacket, cloak, gloves and gauntlet back on and left the library, the two girls following. Cora wanted Asmaria to see him fight it seemed, but like normal he simply ignored them.

The quandary on his mind was the inability to find any leads on the Dark Lords. All he'd found was stuff he already knew, which was mostly everything Chrono had said. He figured a werewolf might be easiest to draw out, but how would he do that? It was something he needed to concentrate, and he found fighting helped him to think.

When he was out on the grounds again Caden summoned the eight light dummies he fought against. With ease he tore each of them apart in less than thirty seconds, and he heard Asmaria gasp in awe. He brought them back and made them more difficult, parrying a couple of the blows from the images before breaking their 'weapons' and tearing them apart.

"He's really good," Asmaria said with awe.

"Told you," Cora said. "Now I think about it Caden, wasn't fighting a band of fifty orcs training enough?"

Caden ignored her. She was right, but he was doing this to help him think more than anything else. Well to get a werewolf to come out the first thing he'd need would be for it to be night. That was obvious. Next he needed a way to attract one, and a werewolf specifically. Demons and monsters occasionally tried to come for him, but the type of monster that would do that could be anything.

After destroying his last set of targets he dismissed Sanctdia and made his way around to where the Elder lived, Cora and Asmaria hurrying to catch up with him. "Ever consider telling us what you're doing? Or giving us some kind of warning that you're going somewhere."

"Be quiet," Caden ordered as he knocked on the door of the small cottage. A short, slightly hunched old man answered the door. He wore a white lab coat and strange mechanical goggles.

"Oh! You must be that demon hunter all the girls are talking about," the Elder said. "And Cora, I'm glad to see you back after so long, and even Asmaria. Please come in, all of you."

"Thank you Elder," Asmaria and Cora said politely, while Caden remained as silent as ever.

"What can I do for you young man?" the Elder asked as Caden looked around the cottage/workshop. There were hundreds of gadgets and gizmos littering the floor and desks, and some vials of chemicals sitting on another desk.

"I need something that would attract a werewolf," Caden explained bluntly.

"Attract a werewolf? You must be crazy."

"Can you make something that would do that?" Caden pressed.

"Hmm, I think I could. If it created a scent and emitted dark magic then the Werewolf Bait could look like any item a dog might use," the Elder muttered, talking more to himself as he went on.

"I need it ready by tonight," Caden said, turning and striding out the door.

"Tonight! Who does he think I am?" the Elder said to Cora and Asmaria.

"You'll get used to it," Cora assured, leaving with Asmaria. "Where are you off to now?" she asked Caden as they caught up with him.

"Shower," Caden replied. "If I need you for anything, I'll find you." He walked back towards the main building while Cora and Asmaria continued to walk around the grounds, talking and getting to know each other.

"So Cora," Asmaria said as they walked, Caden ahead of them. "Do you know any ways to get a guy to notice you?"

"I don't know if any of them would work on Caden."

"I have to try. Please, you have to help me," Asmaria pleaded.

"I'll try. Come on, let's go think of things you could try," Cora said, leading her to her dorm. She wasn't sure if it would do any good, but stranger things had happened.

Meanwhile Caden managed to find the boy's showers with ease. Their number was somewhat smaller than the girl's showers, probably due to the fewer boys that lived at the HQ. As a wanderer he took advantage of any form of bathing he could find; be it bath, shower, or a simple river or lake.

The shower room happened to quite empty and he quickly found the spot for clothing to go. He stripped down and got into a shower stall, but stood still for a while as the warm water washed over him. He gazed down as his body with some level of thought. Caden was athletic and quite toned and muscled from his constant activity, but that wasn't what he cared about. No, what was making him think was the various white marks scrawled across his body.

Each of his thighs, his pecs and shoulders bore a similar cross to the one on his forehead, with some extra form of stylization like a circle or a triangle. Across his abs was a different symbol, a sort of egg-shaped oval surrounding a flame. They all had a significance, and he remembered the day they had been seared into his flesh. Like a tattoo, but much deeper and more painful. Then there was the phrase across his back. He couldn't see it, but he knew what it read. "Vestri vox est signum," he muttered. "Your power is sealed."

Caden thought back to that day as he washed. It was the day he became more than a human being, more than a simple mortal, more than a mere child. The day when he was reborn in pain, and light, and fire and became the being that demons had grown to fear. He pulled himself from his thoughts as he washed the soap and shampoo from his body and pulled his towel around himself, drying off. Just then he heard a knock at the door. "Um, Caden, can I talk to you whenever you're ready," Asmaria's voice said.

Wrapping the towel around his waist Caden opened the door of the shower room. "What is it Asmaria?" he asked, cold as ever.

"I- ah," she squeaked when she saw him in just a towel. Immediately she turned beet red and tried to avert her gaze. "D-don't you think you should get some clothes on?" she asked hurriedly.

"My waist is covered. Now what do you want?" he pressed.

"I- uh, i-it can wait until later," Asmaria stuttered. "Sorry for wasting your time." With that she ran off, leaving Caden rather confused and largely annoyed. He got dressed again and left the shower room and headed towards his room.

"Who answers the door naked?" Cora asked nearby. Caden looked around to see her coming out of a nearby hall.

"I had a towel on," Caden said simply.

"That hardly counts as clothing."

"I don't see why it matters," Caden said. "It was just my torso."

"Yes, but Asmaria has a crush on you and, to be honest, you're pretty good looking for you age."

"Cora," Caden snapped, sounding frustrated. "After the things I've been through, I really don't care if a girl is embarrassed by seeing my naked torso. If she has a problem with it, then it's her problem."

"Caden, how-"

"Be quiet," Caden ordered, sounding colder than usual. "Go find her instead of pestering me with your trivialities." He picked up his pace and made his way to his room, not sure what happened to Cora, and not caring either. When he got there he threw himself on the bed, punching the pillow in frustration. He wasn't sure why Cora's comments had gotten him angry. He rarely got angry, let alone at other people. They annoyed him sometimes, but he always managed to push that away.

"Maybe..." he thought after a time of sitting on the bed. "Maybe it's because it was reminding me I'm not a normal kid." Caden could barely remember when he _was _normal; ever since that day when those marks were seared into his body he'd ceased to be normal. There was a knock at the door. He opened it to see Asmaria standing there, looking down shyly.

"Um, hi Caden," she said quietly. "I-I was, I mean I wanted to say sorry for running away earlier and I didn't mean to waste your time."

"I'll let you help," Caden said in response.

"What?"

"Do you still want to help rescue Chrono?" he asked.

"Oh, yes. Are you going to let me help?" Asmaria asked hopefully.

"Yes-" Caden started, but was interrupted by Asmaria who suddenly hugged him gratefully.

"Thank you Caden!" she cried happily. "I'll help as much as I can."

"You can help, but I want to test you before you join in anything dangerous," Caden finished as Asmaria released him.

"Oh, I guess that makes sense. The Magdalene Order has a room meant for testing and training," Asmaria said.

"I know, and that's where we're going," he said, gesturing for her to follow him.

Asmaria did so, trying to keep pace with him and slipping her hand into his gently, though he barely seemed to notice. "Do you, um, do you want to go for a walk later?" she asked shyly.

"A walk to where?"

"Um, you know a walk, together. Just to talk and get to know each other," Asmaria stuttered nervously.

"I don't talk," Caden answered. "But if you want to walk with me, then you can." He wasn't sure what he should think at the moment. That Asmaria might actually like him seemed too good to be true to him. He'd long since learned to not let himself get happy or hopeful for some semblance of a normal and happy life. So he crushed away the happiness that was starting to bubble within him and pushed it out that hole until he once again felt nothing. 'Emotions are just a burden to me,' he thought. 'It's better for me to ignore them.'

Caden dropped into his usual silence until they reached the simulation room, ignoring the cold of the area. Asmaria hadn't been down here for months, she was already an Exorcist by the time they found Rosette and Chrono's bodies, and she hadn't come back much since. "So what do you want me to fight?" Asmaria asked.

"You'll be fighting me," Caden replied, much to Asmaria's shock.

"I-I can't fight you, besides, you're way too strong," she cried.

"I'll be holding back. I simply want to spar with you to see what you can do," Caden said, unlocking the doors and walking down to them.

"But I only use a gun; I can't shoot you," Asmaria said. Before she could react Caden grabbed her gun from its holster and shot himself in the chest at point-blank range. She screamed, but saw he was still standing. He even tossed the gun back to her, as well as the bullet that had gone right through him, but left no wound or tear whatsoever. "How did you...?" Asmaria asked.

"I can handle your bullets," Caden replied. The demonstration had hurt a little, but nothing more than mild sting that went away within seconds. Of course Asmaria and Cora were going to bombard him with questions; no, only Cora would do that. "Just focus on trying to hit me."

They entered the training arena and Caden positioned Asmaria in the middle of the room, the blocks and platforms with stairs and other objects surrounding her. Some were quite tall and others more irregular like rocks. Caden dashed away from Asmaria that she barely had time to see him leave. When he spoke again his voice seemed to come from everywhere, and he was nowhere in sight. He shouted only one word; "Begin!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Asmaria scanned the room as best she could, but she couldn't see Caden. She still wasn't comfortable with shooting at her friend, especially him. She couldn't get the image of him in a towel out of her head, and the very thought made her blush and feel warm. 'If only he would smile,' she thought. She shook her head and focused on moving through the blocks and other obstacles, keeping a keen eye out for him.

She saw him appear on one of the raised blocks and he hurled an orb of light at her, she didn't have time to react and the orb hit her, but it was painless. She aimed at him, but he backflipped off and vanished. Asmaria hurried towards where he'd been, but he was gone by then. Unfortunately there were too many directions he could have gone for her to decide on one.

Caden meanwhile was moving considerably slower than usual. Not because he wanted to make the test easy for Asmaria, no he was going way too fast for it to be easy, but he did want it to be do-able. If he was moving at his real battle speeds than it would be nigh impossible for any human to react fast enough. Once again he revealed himself, this time jumping and firing at the same time. Asmaria took the hit and turned to shoot him, but he thrust his legs downward, causing him to fall quicker.

When he reached the ground he ran, and occasionally jumped onto one of the blocks, and made his way to another part of the room, and yet Asmaria was still hurrying over to where he'd been. Caden was beginning to wonder if he would have to delegate her to non-combat roles if she kept up like this. He jumped atop a block to fire at her again only for a gunshot to ring out. Caden looked down to see Asmaria had backed herself against the block, ensuring she would be able to see him from anywhere and that his attacks wouldn't hit her from behind.

In a flash he grabbed the bullets out of midair and jumped down, handing them back to Asmaria as he came over to her. "You pass," he said. "But remember demons and monsters will not be so easy, and they _will_ injure you and attempt to kill you," he lectured further, cold as ever.

"I know that," Asmaria said. "Thank you for letting me help!"

"And one more thing. As my partner you and Cora will follow my orders to the letter. Understood?"

"Understood," Asmaria affirmed.

Without a word he gestured her to follow him as they left the lower corridors and returned to the HQ's main levels. As they got back to the common room, Caden saw Cora sitting there talking to one of the other girls. She jumped up when she saw him with Asmaria and he cursed under his breath. "Caden! Asmaria! Where have you been?" she asked brightly.

"Down in the simulation room," Asmaria explained. "Caden was testing me to see if I could join you two."

"I'm glad to see you two got over what happened earlier," Cora said. "Where'd he go anyways?"

Caden has managed to easily slip out and made his way back to his room, his speed helping him vanish from any searching Cora might try. He really couldn't stand all the chatting and talking she put him through, let alone a whole room of other girls. At least Asmaria knew how to stay quiet, but even then she chatted to others. He didn't know why it bothered him, it just felt strange. For Caden it was easiest to just isolate himself like he'd done for the past three years. 'I can't do that sort of thing anyways. Not anymore.'

"Not a concern right now," he murmured to himself as he collapsed on his bed. 'It's never a concern,' he thought. Caden folded his arms and gazed at the stone ceiling thoughtfully. The Elder would need to be finished his request soon, the sun was setting. So much seemed to happen in one day, but the events of the spirit summoning were still gnawing at his mind. 'How could I let myself make such a grave mistake?' he thought to himself, covering his eyes with his hands and squeezing them shut.

"Mr. Metern," said the old voice of the Elder at his door. "I have what you requested." Caden got up and opened the door and saw the old man standing there with a bone-shaped object. "There you are. Well I have what you requested; a scented lure for a werewolf. I haven't had time to test it properly, but theoretically it should work."

"Quiet old man," Caden ordered rudely and took the object while the Elder grumbled something about 'respecting your elders'. Meanwhile Caden looked over the object. It looked and felt like a soupbone for a dog. "Thank you," Caden said shortly and closed the door in the Elder's face. He pulled out a book from his pocket and lay on his bed, reading to pass the time.

He read so fast that picking up one or two new books was something he did frequently. However the amount of time he had to read varied, so he was generally able to balance his reading speed and thus not needing new books too often. 'Books usually have happy endings,' he thought as he read. 'Shame reality's not like that.'

At last the sun finally dropped below the horizon and that was the sign for Caden to get to work. He pocketed the book and got to his feet, and stopping by the dining hall quickly to find Asmaria and Cora. His presence seemed to create a strange stir in the hall, the girls all gazing at him, but he couldn't interpret their gazes. He found Cora and Asmaria finishing eating, Asmaria jumping up the moment she noticed him. "I'm ready to go," she said, though her plate still had some food left on it.

"Are you two armed?" Caden asked.

"Armed? We're eating," Cora said with some annoyance.

"I'm armed Caden," Asmaria said, drawing her gun from its holster.

Without a word he turned and left the dining hall, his cloak sweeping behind him and the gazes of some of the girls still following him. It made him uncomfortable, but he was good at ignoring people like them. Asmaria was hurrying after him and Cora seemed to be taking her time. "Aren't you going to wait for Cora?" Asmaria asked.

"She is not prepared," Caden said.

"If you give her a few minutes I'm sure she'll be."

"I do not wait for the laziness and foolishness of others. If she wanted to come, then she would have been ready," Caden explained, sounding colder than usual. He didn't like giving longer explanations, a few words was all he needed to say.

"Well, okay I guess," Asmaria replied quietly, trying to keep pace with him. "How come your skin's so, um, perfect?"

"Pardon?"

"Well I just noticed you don't have any scars or blemishes on your skin. You must have taken a few hits, but there's no trace of them."

"I heal well." That was only a half-truth. It was one of the things that changed three years ago when those marks were burned into him. Caden didn't like to dwell on that, so he brought his focus back to the present and dropped into his usual silence, completely ignoring Asmaria's occasional attempts to speak with him. He was heading out into the country surrounding the HQ, moving into the woods.

When they reached a small clearing in the woods, Caden deemed the spot suitable and set down the bone. With that done he grabbed Asmaria by the arm and jumped into the branches of a nearby tree, setting her down when they landed. "Woah," she muttered woozily, leaning against him and closing her eyes. "Could you warn me please before you do that?"

"Quiet," Caden whispered, but still managing to project authority in his voice.

"How do you know it'll work?" Asmaria whispered.

Caden ignored her and fixed his gaze on the clearing. He wasn't sure it would work; the magic was what would draw the werewolf, not the scent itself. If the magic wasn't strong enough, than the only thing that would be drawn to it would be actual wolves. If he was unlucky than it might instead attract Wargs and that would be really unfortunate, if he got that then there would be nothing gained at all from the endeavour.

He sniffed the air occasionally, trying to detect the scent of darkness. It was there faintly, but not strong enough to be anything other than far off monsters. Asmaria was quiet like he'd ordered her, and he was thankful for that. On the other hand she seemed to be falling asleep, and was leaning against his shoulder. He didn't really know what he should do, so he just let her stay there.

Then he smelled it, the stench of darkness. It was coming closer, and was definitely moving towards them. "Asmaria," he whispered, shaking her to wake her up. She seemed like she was still asleep though, or very drowsy. He rolled his eyes and pulled out a smelling salt capsule and held it in front of her nostrils. She awoke with a start at the sharp smell and looked around as she remembered where she was.

"Did I fall-?" Asmaria said, but was stopped when Caden covered her mouth with one hand.

"Something's coming," he whispered. Caden had learned how to ignore the smell when it became too strong, and he had to ignore it now. He peered down into the darkened clearing and saw a dark shape move cautiously into it. It was definitely lupine in form, and he could see it was indeed a humanoid, though hunched, being.

"Where are you?" the werewolf growled from the middle of the clearing. It was surprised when a chain of silver pierced its shoulder and Caden pulled himself in from the tree branch. He landed and wrenched Sanctdia from the creature's shoulder, and drove his fist into its stomach and punched it again across the face.

The werewolf was hurled off its feet from the force of the blow and struggled to return to a fighting pose, but Caden smashed his fist into its back, causing it to yelp in pain and collapse again where finally Caden stood on its arms and held the sword above its throat. "Caden," Asmaria said, climbing down from the tree. "I-I," she stuttered, stunned at the fierce side of him.

"What are you?" the werewolf growled. "No human can beat our kind in hand-to-hand combat."

"I just did. Where can I find the Land of the Werewolves?" Caden asked, pressed the tip of his blade closer into its throat, though not piercing it.

"I'll never tell you," the werewolf said. In response Caden lifted a foot and stomped it down on the creature's arm. There was a loud CRACK and the wolf cried out in pain as one of its bones broke. "Fine... I'll tell you," the wolf said, anger simmering in its voice. "The Kingdom of the Wolves... it lies far to the north, where the trees are always green, but cold and snow is everywhere."

"What of the Wolf Lord?"

"I will speak no more," the werewolf growled. Caden raised his other foot and snapped the other arm as well. "Fine!" the creature cried in agony and hatred. "I know only that he dwells in a great den, there the Dark Lord sits."

Caden eyed the creature with his cold, glaring gaze and after a few seconds deduced that the werewolf had told him all it knew. "My thanks beast," he replied, and raised his sword, ready to plunge it into the creature's throat. As he thrust it down before the bewildered eyes of the werewolf he found his attack halted by someone.

"Caden! What are you doing!" she cried in horror. "It did as you asked! You don't need to kill it."

"Out of my way Asmaria," Caden replied. "It is a creature of Hell, death is all it deserves."

"But it's helpless, how can you kill something that just helped you?" Asmaria pressed.

Caden glared at her with his cold gaze, keeping an eye on the werewolf at the same time. Grudgingly he lowered his sword and stepped back. "Be gone monster, and be grateful your life has been spared." He watched as it struggled to its feet and turned, stalking towards the edge of the grove. Caden turned to walk away, Asmaria joining him.

In a sudden flash of movement he whirled around, his blade cleaving through the werewolf's neck mid-jump. He knew it would try to sneak attack him, werewolves were predictable that way. "That is why you always kill a monster of Hell," he explained to Asmaria, who had covered her mouth at the sudden attack. Caden tilted the monster's head up with his boot and looked at it as it reverted into a human's head, while its body did the same. "And now it is free."

"I-I, I'm so sorry," Asmaria stuttered.

"If you _ever _get in my way again without proper knowledge or reason," Caden said, his tone icy "I will remove you from this team immediately."

"Y-yes Caden, sir," Asmaria said nervously. "I'm sorry." The walk back to the HQ was silent and uncomfortable. Caden was lost in his thoughts and memories again, and Asmaria was still getting over seeing him in such a fierce, angry state. It was then that she realized how scarred he was, and yet that made her want to be with him all the more. "Caden," she said as they got back to the gates.

"Yes?"

"If you... if you ever want to talk about something, I'm always here," the girl stuttered nervously, looking at the ground and not him.

Caden was still and silent for a moment. There were a number of thought racing through his mind, and he didn't want to think of them. At last he went in and up to his room, Asmaria heading off to the dormitories. A few minutes later Caden was lying in bed, thinking about everything that had happened that day. From the Spirit Summoning in which he let Chrono slip into darkness, to the social matters that he found superfluous and pointless. At least the sword charming had gone off without a hitch, except for maybe the orc raiding party.

The hunt would begin tomorrow. He had a trail, and now he could begin. Caden pondered the werewolf's words. The location of the Werewolf Kingdom was in the cold and snow with evergreen trees. 'That would be the boreal forest in Canada,' Caden thought. If only there was a faster way to travel. A journey that far would take days, which would mean the quickest way, would be by train. He put all those thoughts from his mind, deciding to focus on it in the morning, and drifted off to sleep.

((()))

It was easy to wake up Asmaria, but like before Caden had difficulty waking up Cora. It was even more difficult because Asmaria refused to let him break into Cora's part of the girls' dorm. So he had to leave it up to her to wake up Cora. She took longer than he would have liked, but was successful. "Why do you want to be up so early?" she asked as he directed them to Cora's car, tossing her a piece of _panius_.

"Quiet," Caden said simply, something he found himself saying a lot to her.

"I got our luggage," Asmaria said to Cora, holding up two suitcases. "Caden likes to travel light, and seems to have very spacious pockets."

"You know I've been wondering about that," Cora said as she began to drive. "How do you keep so much in your pockets."

"If we get to the train, maybe I'll tell you."

"Always such a talker," Cora muttered sarcastically to herself as he fixed her gaze on the road.

Like most car rides with Caden, things were pretty quiet, though Asmaria and Cora chatted a little. Caden kept out of the conversation, which he found frivolous anyways, and kept to himself and his thoughts. He wondered how long it would be until Chrono was sent against them, and if that were to happen than he might have to kill him. 'How can I do that?' he thought to himself. 'A demon, and a threat, but I can't hurt someone so close to Magdalene herself.'

That brought his thoughts to Magdalene, or Rosette as she'd been known in her most recent incarnation. Caden was sure she'd say something to him eventually. How could she not? What he'd done to her... he just couldn't forgive himself for what he did. 'I should've thought of Lucifer. I should have remembered that Chrono is still a demon.'

Asmaria and Cora seemed to have stopped talking, and he was glad to be alone with the basic sounds of the world around him. The sounds of nature and animals were the sounds he'd grown up with and the sounds he'd grown used to. The chatter of people was strange and unusual to him, and he found people often chatted about him... negatively. Even though Asmaria and Cora weren't and were friendly, he still found their chatting on unimportant details to be ridiculous and thus annoying.

The traffic wasn't too bad so they made their way to the station in good time and got their tickets before the train had come, allowing them some free time to wait. Caden got up almost immediately after sitting down. He wanted to at least have a walk around the station to pass the time, and to make himself feel active. His unusual appearance drew looks, as he'd grown accustomed to.

"You bear such heavy burdens," said a kind, elderly voice as he neared a window and a mostly empty bench. He looked back to see an elderly woman clutching a cane in one hand, and with a kind face and simple clothes. "Come, sit with me."

Caden gazed at her intently for several seconds, trying to deduce if she was a threat or not. He sensed no evil from her, and there wasn't the faintest smell of darkness. "I prefer to stand," he said simply.

"You are so young, and yet your eyes seem almost older than mine," the lady said. "Your hurt is so deep, how do you not cry?"

"Tears got me nowhere," Caden replied.

"I see. You're right of course, but I just can't imagine how it feels to be so young and bear so much."

"I manage." There was something about this woman that seemed odd. Caden was sure she wasn't a human, but he wasn't sure what she actually was. She had to have some significant power if she could hide her nature from him. Not whether or not she was evil, but what kind of being she was. "Who are you?"

"A friend," the woman said.

"I have no friends." Caden turned to look out the window. The sun was rising and dancing pink and orange across the sky. 'Friends are unnecessary,' he thought. 'They'll only slow me down and get killed.' There was no response for some time and when Caden looked back he saw the old woman had vanished. 'Typical cryptic immortals,' he thought to himself and he walked back to where the others were waiting.

"Welcome back Caden," Asmaria said brightly. "Sit next to me!" Caden did so and folded his fingers under his chin, sinking into thought again. "Is something the matter?" she asked him.

"Something's always the matter," Caden replied.

"What is it?" Asmaria asked politely. Caden didn't respond and she sighed sadly. 'I'm here for you Caden,' she thought. 'You don't always have to walk alone.'


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Caden leaned his head against the window as the train rattled on. Cora had fallen back to sleep and Asmaria was sitting next to him and leaning against him as she began to doze off too. His thoughts cycled through his life and the upcoming battles. The Werewolf Kingdom, it would be home to the best hunters in the world. Werewolves were themselves the best hunters, and their kingdom would be home to the best of the best. 'Until they meet me,' Caden thought. 'Warchief of the Werewolves; your doom approaches, and I will be sure to make it as painful and terrible as you've made it for others.'

Just then a smell reached his nose, a smell of fire, darkness and, oddly, a hint of light. 'A demon,' he thought. He gently moved Asmaria, being careful not to wake her, and got to his feet. He followed the smell down the car, his hand on Sanctdia's hilt as he readied himself for a confrontation. Caden pushed open a door and moved into the next car, the smell getting stronger. He ignored the looks from others who eyed his strange outfit with a mix of confusion and suspicion.

Caden pushed open the next door and entered the car beyond. This one was mostly empty, except for one person. A person with long purple hair and olive skin: Chrono. "Chrono," Caden said his sword in his hands.

"Hi Caden," Chrono muttered sadly, turning around to face the demon hunter. He looked sad and broken, his red eyes filled with sorrow. "You know what I'm here for I suppose."

"To stop us."

Chrono nodded sadly. "I have no control over what I'm going to do, but I just want you to know that I don't blame you for me ending up back under His service. You just wanted to talk to me; you couldn't have known this would happen."

Caden stayed silent for a moment, but he wasn't sure if he could accept forgiveness. Words meant little to him; it was actions that proved one's worth. He could only accept Chrono's forgiveness when he felt he'd earned it. "You know what I'll have to do if I must," Caden said.

"I know," Chrono muttered, "But what difference will it make? I'll still be in His service."

"I don't know how to free you yet," Caden replied. "For now all I can is stop you."

"I know you will. It's hard to just be near you without being scared." Chrono cried out in pain as his body was wreathed in hellish flames. Within the flames his body could be seen stretching out and changing, becoming taller and more adult. When the fire died down Chrono was in his true demonic form. He was now physically in his early twenties, but kept his purple hair though it was now more chaotic and less neat and his pointed ears were longer and more obvious, and sat next to a pair of gleaming horns that swept back. He also bore odd markings on his face.

He wore a red jacket that was frayed at the base and was open to show a leanly muscled torso. Chrono's lower arms were covered in black stocking sleeves and he wore black pants and dark red boots, with a white belt around his waist. Dark iron bracers were on his wrists and the ankles of his boots and bore glowing red runes, but Caden was sure they were merely a physical reminder of Chrono's enslavement and not the source of it. Besides his horns, Chrono's demonic features showed most prominently in the two large, black, leathery wings that jutted out from his back, and the long sharp talons on his fingers.

"Imp Squadron! Rise and attack!" Chrono cried, his eyes glowing red; the sign his free will had been suppressed. A dozen small, dog-sized demons appeared in bursts of flame. They were bipedal, though hunched, with thin, spindly frames and blood-red skin. They possessed three toed feet, each toe ending in a viciously sharp claw, and similar claws on their three fingers and thumb. They had wings, like many demons did, and horns, like all demons, that jutted out the back of their heads and curled back forwards a bit at the tip. Finally a tail whipped around from the base of their back, ending in a barb.

Caden readied Sanctdia and swung out at the imps as they jumped for him, their bodies giving off the occasional flicker of flame. He sliced through three of them in one swipe and they squealed as they burst into flame and vanished. In the same swift movement he blasted another two jumping imps with light and grabbed the head of another as it attempted to surprise him from the side. Caden crushed its skull with one hand and tossed its burning body aside to face the remaining six imps who seemed much less eager to fight.

"Even if you destroy these, there're several more squads storming the train," Chrono said with a cruel grin. "As for you imps, who're you more afraid of? Him, or me?" Caden didn't wait for any of the imps to make a decision. He struck out with bolts of light and his sword, dashing towards them and destroying them in a flurry of silver and golden flame. Caden quickly turned around and dashed back through the train, looking for the other demons attacking it.

They were in the very next car, scampering about or making short hops through the air, and terrorizing passengers who screamed at the sight of them. The imps on the other hand screeched at the sight of the demon hunter who wasted not a moment in destroying them. Caden moved on to the next car, ignoring questions and grateful looks. He did make sure to carve a small rune in the door though; a symbol of light to protect the car from further attacks.

To his mild surprise Cora and Asmaria had taken care of a number of the imps in the next car, the one they'd been travelling in. He sent twin bolts of light piercing through two of the three remaining demons and stabbed the final one as it flew nearby; catching it in midair. The girls turned to see him, Asmaria lighting up almost instantly. "We took care of most of these things attacking this car," Asmaria said brightly.

"Well done," Caden muttered flatly, but the compliment made Asmaria glow.

"What's going on?" Cora asked as Caden moved through the car.

"It's Chrono, he summoned the imps to try and impede us," Caden explained. Something was nagging at him though. Imps weren't strong demons by any means; in fact they were among the weakest demons out there, so Chrono knew there had to be something he was missing. Suddenly the train jolted and began to pick up speed at an alarming rate. "Of course," Caden whispered to himself and dashed down the length of the train.

"What's wrong Caden?" Asmaria asked as she and Cora followed after him. He didn't have time to explain though, so he ignored them. Caden swatted away remaining imps like flies as he ran and when he reached the forward-most car he moved to the maintenance ladder at the end that led out onto the roof of the cars.

"The wind speed is going to be high," Caden warned as the girls followed him to the ladder.

"We can handle it," Cora said, "I'm a Militia and Asmaria's a former apostle, we're not weak."

Caden gave a barely noticeable nod to show he understood and climbed the ladder up to the top of the car. The wind whipped by and his cloak fluttered out behind him, but he stood firm and moved forwards with little hindrance. Asmaria and Cora on the other hand had more noticeable difficulty moving. The train jolted and shuddered and the girls cried out and fell down. "We'll be run off the tracks if this keeps up," Cora cried over the wind.

"Exactly," Caden replied, his voice rising above the wind with ease. Seeing the struggle his companions had, he jumped back and grabbed them each by the waist, picking them up and dashing back towards the engine; a rather blocky designed gasoline engine. As he'd expected the doors to the cabin were ajar and the driver's body lay dead on the floor.

He set the girls down and inspected the engine itself further. The smell of demonic magic lingered around it, and that meant that there was more going on than simply the loss of the driver. The jewel on the back of his gauntlet glimmered with white light for a moment then shone bright as he raised his hand high.

The girls had to close their eyes a little, but Caden looked through the light and saw a glimmer of red as a ten-pointed star in a circle appeared on the controls. The sign of a demonic enchantment on the object, forcing it move faster and faster until either it crashed or was torn apart. Caden clenched his fist and traced the symbol in the air with his finger, light dancing from his hand and onto the symbol where the light glittered and sparkled like miniature stars.

"What are you doing?" Cora asked as Caden placed his palm over the centre of the symbol. "You're trying to stop the train right?"

"Of course he is," Asmaria said, though she wasn't entirely sure what Caden was doing either.

'It won't dispel,' Caden thought as he strained to fight against the spell. The dispelling light wove into the demonic spell matrix at his command and attempted to sever the weave of the spell, but the enchantment fought back and there was a point where he couldn't go any further. Then the symbol flashed red and discharged a bolt of energy right into the demon hunter's chest. He grunted as he was thrown back against the wall of the train car and slight pain seared through him.

"Caden!" Asmaria cried as she and Rosa ran to him. "Are you okay?"

"Damn it," he cursed, ignoring their help. "The spell's locked, which means..."

"Which means what?" Rosa asked.

"Which means Chrono's presence this close to the spell keeps it active," Caden replied.

"But you can't!" Asmaria gasped with worry.

"Then what do you suggest!" Caden snapped. "If I don't defeat him then everyone on this train dies." This was his life; tough decisions. Either he spared an idol and let hundreds die, or destroy someone whom he respected greatly to save hundreds of people he didn't know.

He threw open the door of the train and jumped back to the top of the carriages. "Chrono!" he called out. "Come and face me." In a burst of flame the incubus lord appeared on the roof of the train opposite him.

"So you discovered my trick."

"Remove the charm on this train," Caden ordered.

"And if I don't?" Chrono asked, giving a malicious grin that bared his fangs.

"Then I will destroy you," Caden said simply, readying Sanctdia.

"Then prove that you can." Caden wasted no time in dashing towards the demon, zig-zagging as he ran and his speed giving the appearance of warping back and forth to the untrained eye. Chrono did the same and summoned a black blade wreathed in angry red flame. Caden prepared to strike and Sanctdia clashed with the dark blade Chrono held.

The two jumped back and fought in a flurry of swift moves and sword strikes. Caden jumped, leaving a clone of light behind him and landed behind the demon, blasting him with light from behind. Chrono cried out as the holy energy seared his demonic flesh and Caden immediately closed the gap to strike. Chrono managed to block just in time, but Sanctdia nicked his hand.

"I have a question for you hunter," Chrono said as he held his wounded hand. It was a small cut, but the holy power of Sanctdia caused it to burn far more painfully than a normal wound. "Can you defeat me before this train is destroyed?" Chrono asked. "Feel below you; in the time we've fought this train has sped up further and it's beginning to strain under the pressure."

Caden gripped Sanctdia's hilt tightly, but knew Chrono was right. If he had time he could destroy Chrono as is, but time wasn't a commodity he could afford at the moment. He couldn't use his wings either, as the train would speed away from him, and that left one option. The option he left as a last resort. "I can," Caden said simply.

He held Sanctdia in front of his face as the markings all across his body began to glow with brilliant white light. The cross on his head shone like the sun and the markings on the rest of his body glowed so bright that they shone through his clothing. Caden felt the light's warmth surge through him, filling him with intense power the likes of which he could barely describe. In a final flash of light six brilliant white wings spread from his back and his eyes shone like stars, his body radiating holy light that formed a suit of angelic armour that imitated the pauldron and gauntlet on his left arm, but left his head exposed.

"What... what are you?" Chrono asked, completely stunned by this transformation.

"I am Caden, demon hunter," Caden answered simply, standing straight and tall. "Now Chrono, face the full might of a seraph." He raised his hand and four waving tendrils of light shot out and wrapped around Chrono's arms and legs, pinning him in place. Caden advanced swiftly and held Sanctdia ready, the sword shining with bright flame as he stabbed it right through Chrono's shoulder.

The demon cried out in pain as the holy item burned and pierced his flesh. It was beginning to flash with holy flame when Chrono's body was engulfed in hellish fire and quickly reverted back to its young teen state. "You can stop now Caden," Chrono groaned through the pain. "I'm going now."

"Then go," Caden said, withdrawing his sword, but holding it against Chrono's throat. He could feel the warmth of the light permeating his being beginning to become hot. If he didn't end this soon then he would burn. A red portal opened behind Chrono, the colour of fire and blood, and the demon stepped back through it sadly. Before the portal closed, Caden blasted the demon with light, the light forming chains that wrapped around the purple-haired incubus and bound him tight.

Then the portal closed and Caden dismissed his seraph form, the light fading and his wings vanishing as he returned to his normal self. He felt weary, but he couldn't rest yet. The hunter dashed back down the length of the train to the locomotive itself. There the red symbol covering the controls was beginning to fade while Asmaria and Cora looked on.

"What happened Caden?" Cora asked, "I felt this weird presence and saw this bright light on top of the train."

"It was nothing," Caden lied, beginning the dispelling process again. This time he met no resistance at all and he easily unwove the already collapsing spell matrix. The moment he'd done so he took the controls and slowly braked, bringing the train's speed down until it finally came to a complete stop. He moved to get up, but like an anvil the weariness suddenly overwhelmed him and he nearly collapsed.

"Caden!" Asmaria cried out with concern, moving to his side immediately. "What's wrong?" she asked, trying to help him up.

"Nothing, I'm fine," Caden said, ignoring her help. "I'm just tired."

"Come on let's go rest then," Asmaria said.

"Since when do you get tired?" Cora asked. "What really happened up there?"

"Nothing. Now either drive the train or find someone who can. I'll take over once I've had some time to rest," Caden explained, standing again, though clearly requiring much effort to do so. Cora nodded affirmatively and Caden started back towards the cars. When he dropped down the ladder into the first car he almost collapsed again, only for Asmaria to grab him and help him to a nearby seat.

Things were silent for a time. The train began moving, and since Cora hadn't come through, it was obvious she had taken the controls herself. Caden hadn't been this tired for at least a year, he rarely took his seraph form due to the danger it presented. "What happened Caden?" Asmaria asked, "How's Chrono? You didn't-"

"He's alive," Caden said, his eyes closed and head leaned back. "I bound him in chains of light. It's not permanent, but it will keep him from causing us trouble for a time."

"That's kind of a relief. Why are you so tired?"

"It's nothing," Caden muttered.

Asmaria sighed sadly and sat silently as Caden drifted off to sleep. She wished there was a way to get him to talk to her, but he was so guarded about everything that it didn't seem possible. The train carried on and Asmaria leaned her head against the window, occasionally looking back over at the demon hunter. He seemed so peaceful and so much younger, and she smiled seeing him having a rest. Whatever he was hurting from, it weighed him down so much when he was awake and she was glad to see him have some time without that weight.

After a time she began thinking it odd that nobody had seemed to notice or even remember the events of the imps and near train crash. There were other people in the car they were in, but none of them were acting like anything had happened. She guessed Caden had done something, or perhaps Chrono. This car had cabins though, and she pulled the door shut to give them some privacy.

She was broken out of her thoughts by the sound of Caden muttering his sleep and beginning to toss and turn. "No! Stop!" he cried out with terror. He was sweating profusely and looked terrified.

"Caden!" she cried out, shaking him gently. His eyes opened wide and he sat up straight, breathing heavily.

"I didn't want it like this," Caden muttered, not paying any attention to Asmaria at all. "I wanted answers... I didn't want the pain." He gasped as he suddenly found himself in a gentle hug from Asmaria. The tenderness of it and the kindness was something he hadn't felt for years. For a time he did nothing as he took deep breaths to calm himself and regain his composure. The same nightmares always haunted him; the months when everything changed. He had to always force the memories away so he could function without their distraction.

At last he pushed Asmaria away. "What were you dreaming about Caden?" she asked with concern.

"Memories," he replied as simply and flatly as ever, "Bad ones."

"Oh, are you going to be okay? Do you want to talk about it?"

Caden shook his head. "I'm fine Asmaria... and thank you," he added, with a touch more warmth than usual, and left the cabin. He had work to do, primarily making sure his memory spells worked. The runes he'd carved to protect the cars from re-invasion from imps were also set to release a memory wipe when the coast was clear.

'They seem to have worked perfectly,' Caden thought as he entered the final car. Thankfully this car was empty, and that's what he wanted more than anything at the moment; some time to himself. Usually he could keep his memories from causing too much distress when he slept, but the night before they'd left he'd had nightmares bad enough that they woke him up. Twice in a row was unusual for him, and he wasn't sure why there was this sudden apparent increase in frequency.

Though there was one thought that had been nagging at the back of his mind since the werewolf had given him the location of the Land of the Werewolves. The more he thought about it, the more he was sure it might have something to do with the increase in nightmares. "We're going to Canada... I'm going home."


End file.
